A decade after relocating its Melbourne flagship store to Harley House, a heritage-listed 1924 office building by architect Sydney Wigham Smith, French fashion house Hermès has given the premises another major upgrade, created by Paris-based architecture practice and longtime collaborator RDAI. The various settings take cues from the city’s abundance of European architecture as well as Australia‘s scenic landscapes and coastline. On the ground floor, the natural wood and the bespoke fabrics’ spectrum of greens give shoppers the sense of being immersed in a tropical rainforest. Needless to say, Hermès emblematic design elements can be found here, such as the Faubourg mosaic and Grècque light fixtures.

Upstairs, warmer floral tones of orange, ochre and pink evoke the vibrant hues of spring. Similar to other Hermès retail spaces, the premises are dotted with artworks from the Hermès collection of contemporary photographs and the Émile Hermès collection, such as the painting Portrait of the Scorpion Horse by the English painter Francis Sartorius. Especially for the reopening of the flagship store, French artist Hubert Crabières has created window installations which are inspired by Hermès’ theme of the year, which is In the spirit of the Faubourg, along with the artist’s memories and postcards of the city. The renewed Hermès flagship store stocks the full range of women’s and men’s collections, including jewellery and watches, and also its equestrian collection.