This week, The Bravern in Bellevue, WA is hosting 10 Hermès artisans, representing their various specialties within the company.  I was lucky enough to be able to observe and speak to each of them (through interpreters), and I highly recommend the trip for anyone near the Puget Sound area.

Our first artisan was making gloves. He has been with Hermès for 23 years.  Watching him handle the leather, stretching it to and fro, making quick marks with his fingernail prior to cutting, one would be forgiven for thinking it was easy, for he made it look very simple.

The forms he uses to cut the leather are well over 100 years old.

Here one can see the various stages in the process of making a single pair of gloves:

Next was the handbag artisan, making a “Mykonos Blue” Kelly bag. I have no words to describe the blue, except perhaps it is the color of the sea around the Greek island…

Next up, the silk screening process for those luscious scarves:

Additionally, there was a station for an actual scarf/fabric designer, where we were able to see this scarf in its paper/painting and clear polyfilm stages of the design process.

The gem setter (not pictured, at the station below) was making a cuff bracelet hand set with 1,000 pavé diamonds. It takes her 3 months to complete.

We spoke to the watch artisan, marveling at the gorgeous self-winding movement visible behind the glass backplates of each watch and the intricate detailing, different with each style.

One station was staffed by a saddle artisan, reminding us of the origins of Hermès as an equestrian leather company.

The artisan that makes bespoke (made-to-measure) shirts says it takes her 6 hours from cut to completion–but she hand-stitches the cuffs and collars with such precision (in only 3 hours) they look as though they have been sewn from a machine.  Even the Mr. was suitably impressed with the craftsmanship.

The tie artisan cuts and folds to within a margin of error of a single millimeter.  She has been doing it so long, she barely has to look, much less use her measuring stick.

Most fascinating to me was the fact that these artisans had never even met each other; they all work at different factories spread around France.  The artisans will be here for just a few more days; if you are at all able to visit the demonstrations by Monday, Feb. 28, it will be worth your journey.