The Hermès boutique has opened in the 'prow' of Galería Canalejas.
What defines true luxury? We know it has a lot to do with the wonderful craftsmanship, the human values, the artistic spirit, the attention to detail. But also with something else, that je en sais quoi that few have, that preserve identity, communicate like no one else does... All this and more is fulfilled by Hermès and, therefore, the firm is ideal to occupy the bow of one of the most ambitious projects in Madrid.
A few days ago we explained the history and magic behind Galería Canalejas, which will be opening its spaces progressively, and where the Four Seasons has already started stomping. From today it is possible (and highly recommended) to enter the Hermès boutique, the first to open its doors and the only one that remains outside the gallery itself, since it is accessed from the outside and, how could it be otherwise, through the corner.
The interior of the boutique is committed to warm colors of Spanish inspiration.
This detail is important, since It is part of the tradition of Hermès, whose store at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris is offset from the street's axis. The desire to turn two streets into the bow of a ship is part of that intention to achieve great aesthetic beauty in perspective, it is part of the love for the discourse that the French firm handles like few others. The location fulfills the spirit of Grand Boulevard, which so important was it for Émile Hermès, son of the founder Thierry Hermès and who brought the workshops and the store to the business and leisure center of the French capital. This is how they perceive it from the brand: Canalejas during the 1930s in Madrid was the equivalent of the Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris.
THE ORANGE UNIVERSE
This new 230 square meter store is located on the ground floor and It has a triangular shape, flanked by Calle Alcalá and Calle Sevilla. It is part of the protected monument that is the neoclassical building (declared an Asset of Cultural Interest) where the Canalejas Gallery has been built, whose majestic façade has been restored respecting its original form, with its white stone and wrought iron bars.
The structure and materials of the façade have been preserved.
It is precisely because of these slabs that have wanted to be preserved that we find the first peculiarity: there are no shop windows, but the color and the light that emanates from the store invite you to enter it without the need for exterior showcases, typical of the other Hermès boutiques in the world. On the other hand, we are received by the imposing bookplate that welcomes us on the floor of all its premises, a lucky miracle given that the marble, floors and even a counter that belonged to Central Hispano, made of a marble that is no longer found in quarries, have been preserved for heritage reasons. and that continues visually through the window that communicates with the interior.
the interiors, Transformed by the Parisian architecture studio RDAI, they have struck a balance between the aesthetic and emblematic language of the house and its surroundings: Denis Montel is the artistic director of the project, supported by interior architects Rosine Clauss and Mathieu Alfandary.
For the interior, the inspiration has been the Hermès horse, the heart of the firm.
The front of the store narrows, as we said, like the bow of a ship, and It houses the leather and horse riding métiers salon, an intimate space, surrounded by open shelves through which natural light fills the room. The curved cherry wood countertops and leather-topped round table have required hundreds of hours of craftsmanship.
We fall in love with the ceiling moldings – with the characteristic lighting with Grecques glass globes – and the delicate blinds with warm colors in gradient (just like the wonderful Portuguese rugs) that protect the privacy of visitors while letting in light. To counteract the coldness of the marble, the team has opted for very Spanish colors, including a very attractive ranunculus yellow, present in sofas, armchairs and a lava-covered table. On a small podium, the Oria chair designed by Rafael Moneo.
In the center, the Oria d'Hermès chair.
The horse was in his mind all the time while creating the boutique, they explain to us from the firm's team. They thought of the heart of Madrid, of revitalizing the city... and the horse is the heart of the house, so it had to be the undoubted protagonist of this space. At the rear of the store, the symmetrical plane is divided into two arches. One of them gives way to a large space that houses men's and women's ready-to-wear, along with a shoe room, a selection of fashion accessories and a changing room that seems to us the jewel in the crown (We want to inhabit that fitting room that is so retro, so minimalist, so perfect!).
The other side welcomes (and this makes it the only one in Madrid and one of the few in the world that offers the 16 métiers of the maison) the universe of home, perfumes and beauty, a magnetic counter in which Hermès demonstrates, once again, that it does things differently. Ever since they launched their lipstick collection (the house's iconic orange turned...rouge) before summer, we've been obsessed with its pantone, its pigmentation and its packaging. This part is located in front of the adjoining hotel lobby and has a discreet second entrance.
In the 'prow', illuminated by natural light, the leather area has been located.
THE STORY OF A FIRM
Since 1837, Hermès has been faithful to the model of his creation, to the aesthetics of functionality, the constant search for exquisite materials, excellence, in short. Those who do not yet know the savoir faire (it seems impossible) of this independent family business that maintains most of its production in France through its 43 workshops (with more than 5,200 artisans), and which has 311 stores in 45 countries, now has a new place of pilgrimage in the capital.
An ideal space to immerse yourself in an adventure that began in 1837 in the Parisian workshop of the artisan saddler Thierry Hermès, on rue Basse-du-Rempart. And that continues today with a sustainable spirit and a characteristic seriousness in every step they take and that has made her the protagonist of iconic moments such as the creation of her first car bag for women in 1923 (the Bolide), his first silk scarf, Jeu de omnibus et dames blanches in 1937 or his collection of Apple Watch Hermès watches in 2015.