This summer, craftsmanship at Hermès takes center stage in a joyful, open-air tribute to the creative process. As part of its year-long celebration of drawing, the French luxury house launched Hermès, Drawn to Craft, a touring experience that made stops in Bordeaux (July 3rd–5th) and Biarritz (July 10th–12th), turning public spaces into dynamic studios of imagination and expression.
Drawing outside: a shared gesture of creativity
At the heart of this Hermès event is a simple yet powerful idea: drawing as the foundation of craftsmanship. Whether in the earliest sketches of a silk carré or the precise markings of saddle stitching, drawing is the beginning of every creative gesture at Hermès. This summer’s initiative brought that idea into the open—literally.
In Bordeaux and Biarritz, the public was invited to draw outside, participating in interactive workshops designed to engage both seasoned artists and casual passers-by. Children, adults, locals, and tourists were all welcomed to explore their creativity through impromptu sketching sessions, collage-making, and playful interpretations of familiar Hermès motifs. Facilitators guided participants in experimenting with materials, shapes, and lines—making drawing feel accessible, liberating, and above all, fun.
Each pop-up installation reflected Hermès’ belief that drawing is a universal language and a vital link between imagination and skilled craftsmanship. By removing the barriers between artist and audience, the event created a space of generosity and shared curiosity.
A whimsical Parisian academy and a touring Hermès event
Earlier this summer, the Drawn to Craft initiative kicked off in Paris with a one-night-only transformation of a secondary school into a fantastical drawing academy. In true Hermès fashion, the evening blended elegance with playfulness: Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the house’s Artistic Director, welcomed guests in a mock school assembly before a series of eccentric “professors” led drawing classes filled with personality and wit. The night concluded with a festive graduation dinner—an ode to creativity in all its joyful seriousness.
As Hermès continues its journey around the globe, the message is clear: craftsmanship at Hermès begins with a single line—but that line is an invitation. An invitation to slow down, to observe, to participate. And perhaps most importantly, to create.
Photography by GERMAIN HERRIAU, SARAH ARNOULD and EMMY MARTENS