Following the opening of its store at Iconsiam, Hermès has expanded its retail operations to Thailand's largest island. The quintessential French luxury brand secured a prime spot for the new location, right by the main entrance of Central Phuket Floresta.
"The luxury market in this part of the world is dynamic. In Thailand, we have doubled our business from two to four stores within 18 months," said Eric Festy, managing director of Hermès South Asia and Middle East. "The opening of the Hermès store outside Bangkok shows our confidence in the Thai market. While Phuket is a tourist destination, its local residents are potential clients. So we want to settle down here in order to be close to them."
Eric Festy, managing director of Hermès South Asia and Middle East.
RDAI (Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure) is responsible for designing all Hermès stores around the world, and the Paris-based architecture firm does not take a cookie-cutter approach. The Phuket project boasts a bamboo claustra following the line of the shopping mall's exterior glass. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, it functionally filters sunlight that bathes the 172m² retail space.
The interior design highlights the bamboo floors and claustra, cognac toned Cherrywood walls, toffee coloured silk and fibre fabrics, tastefully blending various elements of Thai culture and modern architecture.
Further illustrating Hermès' high regard for local craftsmanship, a custom-made bamboo light module is situated in the middle of the ceiling, illuminating the sand-coloured carpet on an area dedicated to the shoe collections.
"Designing and materialising a store shares a similar process to making a bag," Festy explained. "We want to integrate Thai craftsmanship, such as the bamboo claustra and light module meticulously handcrafted by local artisans."
The interior façade is composed of a refined lacquered metal, featuring a large window display, complemented by four recesses with illuminated silk scarves.
Upon entering the store, visitors are welcomed by the maison's ex-libris and signature Grecques lights, designed for Hermès in 1925. Its two main areas are divided by a silk grid. Characterised by the iconic Faubourg pattern mosaic floor, the first one houses the silk, fashion jewellery, fragrance, art of living and equestrian departments. Opposite the leather goods display is an intimate space inviting guests to check out watches and jewellery. Further inside are the women's and men's collections.
"Like how a painting has different colours, we selected harmonising shades that evoke sun and sand, for a warm, cosy and cocooning ambience," Festy said.
The Phuket store aims to attract locals as well as tourists, among them, young well-travelled clientele, who access luxury products early in life and have a strong demand for quality.
"Luxury is normally associated with price but that's not the only criterion. Another notion -- there's a relationship between luxury and time -- the necessary time to do something properly," he said. "This is even more relevant in a fast-paced world, driven by the internet, social media and communication tools. In this digital age, people need to slow down. We can't rush if we want to do things properly, and this is epitomised by painstaking craftsmanship. If we have to wait to do something better, we have to be patient, and take the time in order to achieve the high level of quality, synonymous with Hermès."
The bamboo claustra filters daylight, bathing the indoor retail space. Photos courtesy of Hermès
The French managing director emphasised how Hermès, which was founded in 1837 as a harness maker, has remained a family-owned company, whose long-term vision differs from others in doing business.
"This is also about our specific relationship to time. Not only assets, we think about patrimony and transmitting our métiers and savoir-faire to the next generation," he said.
It takes 18 months to train craftsmen to the level of expertise required to make a Hermès bag. The selection of leather goods and other items at the Hermès Phuket store differs from other locations, particularly in providing more products related to leisure and the outdoors.
"Under the Liberty or Freedom concept, the store manager selects products that will match clientele in that location. The assortment of products and the sales team, who operate the store on a daily basis, also contribute to its identity," he said. "Thus, around the world, each store has its own personality. This provides a unique experience in discovering each Hermès address."
