Entering Hermès' presentation at Milan Design Week 2024 is a mystical experience: the expansive darkness of the space doesn't suggest any product displays, instead anchoring the guests' vision to the floor, created as a showcase of sixteen different traditional flooring patterns in hues of greys, browns and reds.
The Topography of Material by Hermès at La Pelota
The installation references the timelessness of Hermès' collections, 'inviting you to step out of time while keeping your feet on the ground,' and the display, reads a note from the brand, 'aims to create a dialogue between roots and movement, between materials and know-how.'
The materials forming the traditional flooring patterns come from ancient Italian traditions and were sourced from across the country to reflect the ancestral knowledge of specialised local crafts. They include reclaimed wood from Lombardy, cracked earth, Porphyry from Trentino, terracotta arranged in half-moon shaped patterns, green ware (22,000 pieces of it), limestone from Puglia paired with pebbled Carrara Marble.
Walking across the bridges that separate the different motifs is a meditative experience, a moment of connection with the earth and the world around us, and a welcome pause from the bustling design week outside.
Meanwhile Hermès creations are hidden behind a wall, an illuminated slit in the back wall suggesting the displays and guiding visitors to the discreet corridor, where iconic objects are shown alongside new designs and pieces from the past few years (from Tomas Alonso Coulisse paper lamp to Studio Mumbai's Lignage d'Hermès stone table). New blankets in rich hues and patchwork-like patterns are presented alongside 1960s silk jock outfits, adding a touch of visual humour to the display.
Voltige d'Hermès lamps, shown alongside a hunting whip from the 1980s
Silk jockey's blouse from the 1960 and Tartan Dye bed blanket
The showcase aims at drawing bridges between Hermès' contemporary language and its history, each object from the most recent collections presented alongside a piece from the past (dating as far back as the 1930s) to discreetly demonstrate how the maison's collections have always followed a precise set of influences and techniques.
The Topography of Material by Hermès is on view during Milan Design Week 2024
La Pelota
Via Palermo, 10
20121 Milano
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