petit h is a unique laboratory where traditional craft skills and original creative thinking converge. The atelier consists of a collective of artisans under the leadership of petit h creative director & founder, Pascale Mussard, a member of the sixth generation of the Hermès family. The atelier imagines and realises exquisite original objects sold at itinerant petit h pop-up stores at Hermès stores around the world. These objects embody the artisanal value and creative spirit of the House.

New York based creative agency, DML, was commissioned by Hermès to create a series of petit h pop-up environments to appear within its Manhattan boutiques during the holiday season. DML developed their concepts inspired by original hand-drawings by Alexandre Mussard, Pascale Mussard’s son, and partnered with designers Checkland Kindleysides, who creatively realised their vision within a three-dimensional retail environment. The pop-ups house a collection of specially made petit h objects, displayed in an abstracted advent calendar scenography.

DML collaborated with Checkland Kindleysides to design every aspect of the experience from interactive store windows, interior architecture and digital content, including an interactive animated film created from Alexandre’s original drawings. Checkland Kindleysides produced and crafted every element of the store in-house at their 16,000 sq ft studio workshop.
“What we’re creating in partnership with DML captures a certain joie de vivre. The Holiday Factory delivers curated experiences through bespoke scenography that embodies the craftsmanship, fun and excitement of the brand.” – Joe Evans, Creative Director, Checkland Kindleysides

Thematic Window Displays
A series of six interactive windows featuring kinetic installations line the façade of the Hermès Madison boutique. Together they form a contemporary abstraction of the traditional advent calendar and convey the magic of the holidays, presenting iconic objects from the petit h collection. Above each window, metallic vinyl is applied to create a mystical and abstracted golden black starry night.
Mythical Workbench
Upon entering the store, you are drawn to a mysterious selection of levers, pulleys, and handles, all beautifully finished in gold leather, crafted by petit h’s skilled artisans. Interaction with these tools activates a whimsical, interactive animated film derived from Alexandre Mussard’s drawings, set in a mythical world of creation and celebration. The animation is synchronised to a musical score featuring percussive sounds of the workshop.

Anamorphic Sculpture
Representing an idea in space, an oversized flying teapot (an iconic petit h product) is suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the store. As you circle this centrepiece it deconstructs before your eyes, separating into individual components that have been skilfully handcrafted. This clever use of perspective creates a playful visual illusion that reveals the craft, skill and imagination that goes into the creation of petit h products.
Inspirational Scenography
Around the perimeter of the space, an abstraction of the traditional advent calendar, presents collections of handmade jewellery, homeware and accessories within individually lit golden apertures. Elsewhere, textiles and prints are suspended from custom hangers on knotted leather cord.

Ornament Bar
The ornament bar is a playful customer experience celebrating customisation and co-creation, providing an opportunity to compose and assemble holiday ornaments for purchase under the instruction of Parisian scenic artist and petit h designer, Isabelle Leloup.
Digital Experience and In-Store Selfie Booth
A DML designed microsite, living within www.lesailes.hermes.com allows consumers to create and share a unique petit h invitation with their friends and an in-store selfie station creates beautifully abstracted and sharable selfies for social media. The station layers a petit h frame around the customer’s face when looking into the camera, immersing the visitor in petit h’s magic.