Past its high luxury veneer, Hermès is embedded in whimsy, with its travelling exhibitions being proof of the house’s love for the quaint. Earlier this year, the house took us through its own evolution with the Hermès Heritage — In Motion exhibition, and to close off 2019, they are taking us down an Alice in Wonderland-esque rabbit hole with its petit h showcase.
Held in its Liat Towers boutique from 15 November to 22 December, petit h celebrates vegetation and Hermès’ dedication to craftsmanship through curious art objects crafted by artisans, using materials Hermès metiers no longer have use for. Beyond being an exhibition, petit h is also a longstanding initiative that was created in 2010, founded by Pascale Mussard and now run by artistic director Godefroy de Virieu.
Branded as “creation in reverse”, the petit h showcase in Singapore is a veritable workshop that celebrates imagination. Witness the likes of a wireframe dog sculpture dressed in a rainbow of zips, or animal-shaped brushes made from leather, even a mushroom paperweight. All the items at petit h are playful while retaining the Hermés signature of excellence in leather craftsmanship.
Apart from displaying the objects created by artisans, Hermès has also enlisted local industrial designer, Olivia Lee, to design the scenography for the exhibition, to be unveiled at the opening.
Members of the public keen to try their hand at crafting their own petit h object can sign up for workshops here, with each run by expert craftsmen. Slots are limited, so fastest fingers first.