The only luxury hill I’d die on: Hermès

Hermès and LV were both born to craftsmen orphans, humble servants to the French nobility. But as every twin story goes, one child goes rogue.

In this case, almost all of them did. While most heritage luxury houses scaled into conglomerates by cutting costs and quality, our golden child Hermès managed the impossible: scaling craftsmanship to a global stage. Often scrutinised for “exclusivity” and FOMO creation, when you pull back the curtain to this music box, you see that scarcity is simply the outcome of preserving artisanship at the highest level, not the goal. I have nothing but respect for this magical brand. It’s the reason why I got into a debate last week, came up with today’s topic, and titled it as I did.

Bringing us to the topic of today - scaling artisanship. While we begin with Hermes story, we will move onto how the artisan can be celebrated in this generation in the absence of a heritage brand. And how technology can amplify the artisan, the true hero of fashion. And since Hermès’ market cap has finally overtaken LVMH, €248.1 billion vs €246.5 billion (April 2025), they’ve finally proven that quality beats scale on the luxury stage.

So don’t be fooled by the sameness of their orange branding and global reach. LVMH and Hermès sit at opposite ends of the luxury spectrum.

Scaling Artisans, Not Automation

While luxury conglomerates scaled through marketing muscle and cost efficiencies, Hermès took the harder path: scaling artisanship itself.

Master-Apprentice Training at Industrial Scale

Every Hermès artisan undergoes 12-18 months of intensive training, starting with constructing a Kelly bag as "leatherwork 101." The Kelly requires 36 leather pieces and 15-20 hours of work. Mastering it means mastering almost all Hermès techniques. And yes, each Birkin and Kelly are made end-to-end by a single artisan.

Hermès currently employs around 80 master trainers and 200 mentors across 51 French workshops, creating a pipeline that grows output without compromising quality.

Decentralised Ateliers, Centralised Standards

Instead of mega-factories, Hermès built a network of workshops (200–250 artisans each) across France. They believe this is the human limit for working like a family. Every atelier follows identical methods and quality controls. Each day begins with hand exercises “flexing toes, swaying arms” to steady hands for hours of precision work.

The result: consistent quality whether a product is made in Paris or Provence.

Controlled Growth and Permanent Quality Checks

Hermès deliberately paces growth to match training rates, ~ 7-9% per year. When demand spikes, they don’t flood stores. Scarcity isn’t marketing; it’s the byproduct of refusing to mechanise.

Most tellingly, Hermès runs 15 repair centres worldwide, fixing 120,000 items annually. Sometimes artisans repair pieces they crafted 30 years earlier, a testament to personal accountability for longevity.

And why? Their infamous saddle stitch is a hand technique unmatched by machines. Hermès doesn’t refuse mechanisation on principle, they constantly advance their tools, but they won’t compromise on quality. Their essence is to iterate and create the highest version of anything they make.

The Result of Creating a Brand off Excellence

Given Hermès’ three constraints — two years to train before producing, 7% growth capped by training rate, and end-to-end craftsmanship by hand — exclusivity is a natural outcome of excellence, not a branding first tactic. Their heritage, global presence, and handbags priced higher than most cars keep demand sky-high.

So in this era, how do we celebrate artisans, protect quality, and scale without heritage?

The Tech That Amplifies, Not Replaces

Here’s where opportunity lies: technology is finally an enabler of craftsmanship, not its enemy.

• Digital Design + 3D Printing: AI tools handle sizing and grading, freeing artisans for creative work; 3D printing makes complex parts ready for artisanal finishing.

• Blockchain for Authenticity: Digital certificates let even small ateliers verify provenance. LVMH and Prada’s Aura blockchain opened the door, but independents now have access too.

• E-Commerce Platforms: Italian Artisan connects 800+ micro-companies to global brands. SOKO’s “virtual factory” links 2,500 Kenyan artisans via mobile apps, boosting incomes fivefold while eliminating unsold stock.

The pattern is clear: Human + Tech beats Human alone or Tech alone. The strongest tools amplify artisan skill rather than automate it away.

Geo-Politics & Sustainability

The timing couldn't be better for artisan-focused brands. Recent US tariffs (10-50%) on textile imports have brands scrambling to near-shore operations. Meanwhile, increasingly stringent EU and Australian regulations on carbon disclosures favour local, small-scale production.

Plus, traditional luxury is under scrutiny. When brands destroy unsold stock to maintain exclusivity (LV's Texas shredding operation), it highlights the inherent waste in mass luxury. Hermès' repair-don't-replace philosophy suddenly looks prescient.

Why It Matters Now: A Call out to Brands

The dirty secret: most “handcrafted” luxury isn’t. As consumers demand authenticity, the winners will be those who treat craftsmanship as a non-negotiable strategic asset.

Pop-Feature

Liandra Gaykamangu: Weaving Tradition with Tech

What they do: This Darwin-based designer has created history by embedding NFC chips into her garments. She is an early adopter to Authenticle - each piece in her latest collection comes with blockchain-backed authenticity certificates that unlock her Indigenous stories, styling tips, and provenance details with a smartphone tap. The modern way of story telling.

Why it matters: This solves the challenge of letting the soul of her work travel with the product. It's also a powerful anti-counterfeiting tool, protecting cultural intellectual property in a format that anyone can verify.

Impact scorecard: 8/10. Proof that technology can guard cultural authenticity, not erase it. Her work sets a blueprint for other designers seeking "creative security" in an industry plagued by $3 trillion in annual counterfeiting losses.

Forward this to anyone that puts LV and Hermès in the same sentence, or hit reply and tell us about your favourite local artisan.

Provocative Q: If true luxury is defined by human limits, would you still want it if you had to wait weeks or months for it? Or is fast fashion ‘satisfying’ the insatiable needs of the modern consumer?

We'll see you in two weeks. Take care of yourself, and remember, the future of fashion is human + tech.

Grace & Rak