From leather watches and gorgeous scarves to ultra sought after Birkin bags, luxury fashion house Hermès is no stranger to popularity and high demand. However, the brand's ready-to-wear collection is the portion of the house that really brings the classics to a new level. Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski is now working to elevate the timeless tradition of the house as Hermes' first female ready-to-wear designer in twenty years. In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Vanhee-Cybulski discusses her personal vision and style and the brand's timeless appeal.
In one of the most fascinating portions of the interview, Vanhee-Cybulski opens up about her experiences during her first collection with Hermès. If you're wondering why the designer was named as artistic director of the ready-to-wear collection, you don't have to look much further than the anecdote she gives. In the publication, the designer explains that prior to her first collection's debut, she asked for the trousers in the show to be made waterproof. Questions were raised as to why trousers would need to be made in such a way, and Vanhee-Cybulski explained, "I’ve lived in New York and I know what it’s like when it rains really hard and the hems of your trousers get wet.” The designer is clearly dedicated to the brand's aesthetic but also values the everyday usefulness of fashion. She went on to state that her collection, "...is very much designed for a real way of life…and I suppose partly that’s my way of life. I don’t want to turn women into gimmicks or stereotypes.”
The designer explains to The Telegraph that her style has always been "minimalist," and she maintains that comfort is a key tenet of her style. While this may be her own aesthetic, she also clearly values the equestrian roots of Hermès and works to keep the staples of the brand as a focal point in ready-to-wear. One of the core tenets of Hermès is its timeless appeal, and the designer has an interesting way of approaching this key element stating, "I don’t think it has to mean built-in obsolescence. It’s more about designing certain pieces that are statements, even if they’re discreet ones – the quilted red leather jackets, for example.”
Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski is clearly a designer with a keen aesthetic eye and appreciation for what women really need and that's what makes her special to the Hermès brand. She's the first female RTW designer for the label in twenty years. According to Pierre Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès, the label may have been missing "a feminine sensibility," but with Vanhee-Cybulski at the helm of ready-to-wear, the collection is sure to give women not only what they desire aesthetically, but also what is best for them in their everyday lives.
