Pool party: Hermès opens new store in Paris

Paris – Hermès has opened a store on Rue de Sèvres in a space which used to be home to the Lutetia hotel’s indoor swimming pool.

To celebrate the building’s heritage, on its opening day last week, Hermès lined up a band of kids in matching swimsuits to greet guests, while on a balcony, pictures from a swimming pool were screened on a loop.

Inside the store are three giant huts, nearly 9m tall, in latticed ash wood and designed by architect Denis Montel of RDAI.

Besides luxury fashion, the store showcases furnishings fabrics, wallpaper, carpets and re-editions of Jean-Michel Frank furniture, originally designed in the 20s.

For more on the developments in the luxury retail sector, read our Luxury Futures report.