There are a few elements one can always expect from an Hermès show: lush leathers, a stunning palette of neutral hues, and a parade of looks that emphasize a very particular side of extreme luxury. There is also, on occasion, a unique reflection of a very distinctly Parisian aesthetic. Take, for instance, the fact that the fall 2024 runway mirrored the city streets just beyond the blacked-out venue: rain poured from the ceiling and leather-clad models marched around its perimeters in unison for the duration of the show.
Titled The Rider, creative director Nadège Vanhee’s collection took inspiration from the rain-soaked city streets—and the stylish women who frequent them. The show opened with a selection of chocolate brown leathers; cropped jackets, knee-length skirts with exposed zippers, sleek belted trench coats, and tailored trousers. Vanhe centered the woman on the go, frame by frame, “moments of movement, forever frozen in a flash. Hailing a taxi. Checking her watch. On an island, stomping in puddles. Buckling an overcoat, tightening the ripcords on rainwear,” according to the show notes. A large portion of the collection was done in all black, while buttery yellows and satisfyingly seasonally appropriate greige dominated.
While all those supple leathers and chic, expensive-looking silhouettes were sure to make the most dedicated clients’s heart rates quicken, an attempt at practicality wasn’t off the table. Rain-ready resilience came in the form of toughened-up leather riding boots that would survive the biggest downpour in Paris—even if those delicate, supple little lambskin jackets might not make it through a few drops of bad weather. There was also plenty of corduroy and a handful of studded biker jackets inspired by a horse’s saddle.
For the less quiet of luxury lovers, there was a trio of cherry red looks that were almost so bright, they nearly glowed. Also impactful: the pair of jackets covered in fluff that, from far away, looked and moved like hair—a theme Vanhe has explored in the past. The brand cuts a great leather jacket, yes, but it’s even more impressive when unexpected techniques come into play. The less obvious version of that concept could be found in leather long johns inspired by jodhpurs, or a blanket coat that doubled as an actual blanket.
As the models took their final walk to “Never Say Never” by Romeo Void, the glittering faux rain that fell from the ceiling offered a dose of reality grounding all those glossy leathers.
