Say ‘Oui!’ to ‘Leather Forever’ Exhibition

From saddlemaking to the luxe life, Hermès celebrates 175 years of doing anything but ‘winging’ it.

Behold the satyr-winged saddlebag (main image), a one-off Hermès made in 2001 for a Japanese rock band. It’s one of the many fascinating and oh-so-refined usable objects that the great Parisian luxury goods-makers have put on display through May 27th at 6 Burlington Gardens in London.

According to The Telegraph, “These include the Kelly, so christened after Grace used hers as a paparazzi-block, the less famous but equally lustrous H-buckled Constance, the Verrou clutch, the Jypsière messenger (my favourite), the roomily-gusseted Paris-Bombay holdall, and the 1920s-designed zippered Bolide. All of these, when spotted, will prompt a shudder of pleasure among members of the handbag cognoscenti. But by far the most famous, and most collected, is the Birkin, named after Jane.”

For more info, visit hermes.com/leather_forever. For info on the relating Christie’s auction, ending May 31st, visit christies.com/hermes ).