HERMÈS RODEO REMODEL
Hermès Rodeo Remodel Surprises
Hermès opened its West Coast flagship Labor Day weekend after an 18-month renovation at 434 Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The shop’s style was a big surprise.
To the casual observer, the French heritage brand represents the style of an old-moneyed elegance and the privileged equestrian set. However, the three-story flagship made use of architectural styles that seemed a departure from Hermès tradition. The exterior was reminiscent of Miami architectural flash, what with its palm trees and white walls. The spiral staircase embraced the apex of modern looks—the Guggenheim Museum.
The store carries Hermès leather, saddlery, scarves and jewelry, as well as casual styles and elegant clothes for men and women. But the flagship’s third floor also offers a homewares section. The only other place in America to stock Hermès homewares is the Manhattan flagship.
Paris-headquartered architectural firm RDAI, which works with Hermès on most of its buildings, designed the interior and exterior of the Rodeo Drive store. French visual-display team Zim and Zou created handcrafted unique window displays for the store, using paper, not the heritage brand’s venerated leather, according to media reports.
