Hermès Chicago Opens New Location

Check out the beautiful new location on Oak Street

This past June, Hermès Chicago crafted a strategically bold move that has presented great opportunity in a challenging economy. The tony store significantly expanded, moving from its Oak Street townhouse location over to the former Barneys space. “We were literally growing out of the store,” explains Maureen Baltazar, Vice President of Retail of the Eastern Region of Hermès.

Adapting decorative exterior and interior design compositions of the original Hermès store in Paris, the new location provides ample space for expanded lines of women's ready-to-wear, menswear, handbags, accessories, equestrian collections and, of course, the infamous Hermès scarf. “People visit Hermès for investment pieces, things they know will have longevity, won’t go out of style and have intrinsic value. Our scarves do that,” Maureen says. “Each tells a story and the colors are vibrant and novel.”

A Stunning Structure

Another aspect of the new store that's getting a lot of attention is Architect Rena Dumas' striking spiral staircase. This stunning white structure anchors the space and comes alive with natural light permitted by six panoramic windows, highlighting the curves and near perfection of the staircase.

“It’s such a beautiful, structural piece that really draws you into the store. The staircase is something to appreciate just for its aesthetic beauty. It welcomes you to walk through the store and explore the different departments. Then it draws you upstairs, so you can see from start to finish the beauty of the store. It really is an amazing piece of art,” Maureen reflects.

Rena Dumas actually designed the first Hermes Paris flagship store in 1976. She went on to design other Hermès stores including the New York and LA flagship, which, along with Chicago, are the two primary flagships in the U.S. “The Chicago store has the same feeling and spirit,” Maureen comments.

Equine Heritage

Because Hermès first opened in Paris in 1837 as a craftsman of horse harnesses and saddles, each store dedicates particular attention to its equestrian line. With an impressive equestrian community in the Chicago area, the Oak Street store now has the largest equine representation after the Madison Avenue and Beverly Hills locations. Even if you're not an equestrian, the impeccable leather craftsmanship of the bridles and saddles is renowned.

Chicago’s architectural landscape has been enhanced by the attention to detail that was given to the redesign of the Barneys space by Hermes. In an era when retail is on a cost-cutting mission, it’s refreshing to enter a store and not only admire the merchandise, but the dwelling itself.