More and more world-known fashion houses cooperate with aircraft manufacturers on joint design projects. For example, Versace made a project with Agusta and now we see Hermès working with Eurocopter.

François Taverne, Hermès Interior and Design Chairman, and Hermès designer Gabriele Pezzini have agreed to answer our questions and reveal some of the aspects of this exciting project and its realization.

- Mr.Taverne, is your cooperation with Eurocopter an attempt to enter new market or the result of increasing demand for VIP aircrafts?

F.T.: We don’t consider ourselves as a fashion design house. Hermès is a house of design and craftsmanship with the culture of the product sustained by creativity, quality and innovation. If to create and realize a new product that could reflect our values and bring a different experience to our customers we need the cooperation of experts, then partnerships make sense. Our partners should share with us the same passion for products and innovation. For us a partnership is all but a communication gimmick, it should be based on the wish to innovate in the product field not on the communication field. We are not very interested in knowing if it is a general trend…

Hermès has always been very close to travellers. From horse to motor car, from rider to traveller of today and tomorrow, Hermès is linked to mobility. Since the beginning of the company in 1837, we have visited these means of transportation. The helicopter is therefore the continuation of what has been done over several years. It is also true that the demand for private aircraft is booming, just as for boats or luxury cars. We naturally bring an answer to such special orders.

- Why have you chosen a helicopter for this project and why EC135 model?

F.T.: It was a common choice with our partner Eurocopter. We entered into discussion two years ago: Eurocopter wanted to redefine the VIP view of the travel. Hermès was interested in such a challenge. We then took time to share values and bring the two companies into a mutual understanding and complicity which resulted in the definition of the project "l'Helicoptere par Hermès". Eurocopter gave us a white card to express our vision.

The EC 135 is a light twin engine. It is not the biggest helicopter you can find but it is one that is particularly safe and polyvalent. You can land almost everywhere with such a helicopter. Freedom, elegance, sport chic, we felt that the EC 135 fit us rather well. You don't need to be too formal while travelling.

- How can you describe Hermès "footprint" in the finishing and renovated design of the helicopter?

F.T.: We developed a product which represents a new vision of the trip by helicopter.

Hermès is about aesthetics, design, functionality, experience of materials and sensations, precise quality in the realization of its products. Eurocopter is about technology, technical performance, safety, quality and industrial expertise of the leader of helicopters world market. Hermès’s fooprint is in its care for details that we can see in some parts or materials, even if they do not directly come from Hermès. The grip on the landing gear for instance fits the carbon fiber perfectly. Each aesthetic choice is relevant with a functional improvement.

- For the first time Hermès helicopter was demonstrated during the NBBA airshow in Atlanta. What was the reaction of potential customers and have you already got any orders for this aircraft?

F.T.: First of all they were astonished to see us here, then they were looking at all the details, the innovations and the quality of realization which they appreciated a lot. They definitely were pleased. "The first aircraft interior that has not been conceived by engineers" was probably the most sympathetic and amazing compliment we received... With all the respect I have for all the engineers and particularly those from Eurocopter...
Yes, there are orders on the go.

- Does Hermès consider to continue with design projects in business aviation market, or by now "l’Hélicoptère par Hermès" is the only joint venture in this niche?

F.T.: We are definitely interested in aircraft. Our first goal is to answer demands of the final customers, it brings us in relationship with the aircrafts industry. It doesn’t mean that we will multiply partnerships such as the one with Eurocopter.

- From your experience what difficulties hamper such projects and why are they interesting for the fashion houses?

F.T.: There are many points that can hamper such projects: regulations, modifications cost, time schedule, cultural antagonism... But as far as you have well defined every single field that should be covered, the values you want to follow, the spirit in which you want to practice... things become much easier.

As I mentioned above, Hermès is used to working with travellers’ needs and comfort, this project was a way to express ourselves in a helicopter, to define the experience we wanted to bring to the passengers and pilots. The Hermès style is often described as "elegance in motion", it is very interesting to translate that into the aircraft industry and to demonstrate that our values can apply there.

- Mr Pezzini, can you please describe the concept of "l’Hélicoptère par Hermès"?

G.P.: It is a usercentric concept which gives an opportunity to feel comfortable as in your own home and enjoy the travelling experience in a helicopter. This has been defined with a global view through the analysis of four crossing levels, optimization of the space in a functional and perception way, coherence within interior and exterior, care about all the details, separation of the different spaces.

- Which innovative solutions were developed for the new design of helicopter and how were they implemented into the original design of the machine?

G.P.: In the exterior the new landing gear makes the helicopter really unique, the modification increases its functionality and aesthetically plays with the painting scheme. Inside, everything is innovative: the way we assemble the panneling, the seats that are a bench, the small cabinet where you store books and travel maps, the security labels that are made in jacquard as clothes labels.

- Which materials were used in the interior finishing of helicopter, what makes them unique?

G.P.: We used a specific Hermès material, La Toile H, which is itself a real signature of Hermes. It’s indeed a canvas used for luggage at Hermès since the 1920’s. We also used bullcalf leather "taurillon clémence" for the seats which is well-known for its softness and resistance. We also developed a special carpet partially made of leather. But we also worked with acrylic for the separation wall and other aeronautical materials for the cabinet. The way these materials have been worked and used make them unique.

Dmitry Gnatenko

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