Circa 1970s, a 'Saddle Shoulder Suede Leather Blouson' from Hermès Sport Paris.
A special arrival.
Hermès Paris, a house known to all as the pinnacle of luxury.
Hermès was founded in 1837 when Thierry Hermès established a high-end saddlery workshop bearing his name in Paris, France.
In 1880, Thierry's son Charles-Émile inherited the business and relocated the shop to 24 Rue Saint-Honoré.
From this address, Hermès supplied saddles and equestrian goods to the elite across Europe, Russia, North Africa, Asia, and America.
In 1922, dissatisfied with available handbags, the wife of Émile-Maurice prompted Hermès to introduce its first leather handbag.
This bag featured a zipper for which Hermès held the patent—later becoming known throughout Europe as the Hermès Fastener.
Thereafter, management passed to his sons-in-law, Robert Dumas-Hermès and Jean-René Guérin-Hermès.
Robert created the Kelly bag, the Chaîne d'Ancre bracelet, and the signature silk scarf.
In 1984, Robert's son Jean-Louis Dumas transformed the business into an international luxury retailer, and a chance meeting with Jane Birkin inspired the creation of the Birkin bag.
Foreseeing the decline of carriages with the rise of the automobile, Hermès shifted its focus toward leather goods and accessories, a legacy that endures today.
The house's emblematic logo carries this meaning: 'We provide the finest carriage, but it is you who holds the reins.'
'We offer exceptional products and a world unto themselves, but you—the wearer—remain at the helm, propelling your life forward.' This philosophy has remained steadfast.
We present a suede leather blouson from Hermès, luxuriously crafted from lambskin, the finest among all ovine leathers.
Understated yet refined, this piece embodies the meticulous attention that defines Hermès.
A compact collar, vertically-placed hand-warming pockets positioned with restraint, the iconic saddle shoulder that yields the silhouette of a single-piece sleeve, supple suede leather, and carefully placed gathers throughout that create an ease of proportion—every detail speaks to Hermès' considered craftsmanship, rendering this truly the ultimate blouson.
The caliber of Hermès' craft, whereby each minute detail elevates elegance, is simply beyond reproach.
What particularly distinguishes this piece is the saddle shoulder construction, which preserves a refined silhouette even when worn oversized.
The saddle shoulder is a variant of the raglan sleeve—the shoulder seam runs parallel across, creating a slightly squared line. The fabric of the sleeve hangs perpendicular to gravity, creating a dropped shoulder line and thus a more graceful proportion.
The front closure employs a zip fastener.
The zip slider itself is sourced from riri, the renowned manufacturer.
The tag bears the marking 'AGNEAU'—French for lamb—indicating that the fabric is lambskin.
Lambskin is leather taken from sheep less than one year of age.
Its small pores yield a fine surface texture with a supple, almost adhesive quality to the touch.
Among these, hides from lambs under six months old are called 'baby lamb' and represent the most prized of all ovine leathers.
This particular piece, however, employs the reverse of the hide—suede leather—rather than the grain surface.
Suede is created by napping the underside of smaller hides to create a short, velvet-like pile.
While softer and more pliable than many leathers, its delicate production process makes it considerably more expensive than most alternatives.
The supple adhesiveness inherent to lambskin combines with the smooth tactile quality of suede, yielding a wearing experience so refined it makes one forget this is, in fact, a leather jacket.
Refined design, refined execution, refined color.
This convergence is a piece worthy of the designation 'lifetime garment'—for those seeking something untethered to trend, something to wear across decades, we offer this unreservedly.
No size tag is present, though the garment corresponds to approximately a Japanese size L.
Given its generous proportions, it will accommodate larger frames without issue.
The sleeve cuffs are ribbed, allowing those of smaller stature to wear the garment with a gathered sleeve silhouette if desired.
While wear and patina are evident, no significant damage impairs its wearability, and it remains well-suited to continued use.
Among the constellation of luxury houses, Hermès Paris stands apart, occupying an elevated tier unto itself.
We invite you to experience firsthand the finest materials from this most supreme of makers.
Arrivals of this caliber are rare in our shop. Should you have sought such a piece, we encourage you not to overlook this opportunity.
