French luxury house Hermes has opened its largest store in Beijing, transforming a long-held vision into a space where architecture, craftsmanship and cultural dialogue intersect.
The freestanding boutique in Sanlitun, which opened on April 2, is the brand's fourth and largest in the capital and its 31st on the Chinese mainland.
More than a retail expansion, it reflects a three-decade personal journey shared by Axel Dumas, chief executive officer of Hermes, and his cousin Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the house's artistic director.
Speaking at the opening, Pierre-Alexis Dumas recalled a visit to Beijing with his father, Jean-Louis Dumas, then-president of Hermes, before the brand opened its first China store at the capital's Peninsula Hotel in 1997.
As they walked through Sanlitun, his father made a simple remark that stayed with him: "One day, we must have a freestanding store here."
"It is deeply emotional to be back," says Pierre-Alexis Dumas.
"You have to understand the past to imagine the future. And we have to keep changing if we want to remain the same. This architecture expresses the new vision of Hermes, which reflects who we are and what we want to be here in Beijing and across China. Because ultimately, we are serving something greater than Hermes: culture. Culture is bigger than all of us. It comes from the past, and it's our responsibility to carry it forward.
"Culture lives through applied arts, fashion, design, and architecture. But our ultimate goal is to build bridges through culture."
The Sanlitun store was first conceived in 2020, and took nearly six years until the Year of the Horse to finally open. "Horse", which is the brand's symbol as well as an important element of Chinese culture, is the "bridge".
"The horse embodies the tradition that nourishes modernity — something that resonates particularly strongly in China today," says CEO Axel Dumas.
Not only the horse, but also the architecture and decoration of the new store, in many ways, create a dialogue between the creativity of the brand and Chinese cultural heritage, blending the past and present.
The five-story structure is wrapped in rose-pink and terracotta ceramic tiles that catch and reflect the city's changing lights. Its design subtly references the Forbidden City in Beijing, from the curvature of its rooflines to its layered materials and warm, sunlit palette.
The facade, designed by Paris-based architecture agency RDAI in collaboration with Mamou-Mani Architects, resembles a finely crafted birdcage and forms a semitransparent veil that balances openness and enclosure.
It allows light to filter through while creating a sense of depth and rhythm, echoing both traditional craftsmanship and modern design principles.
On the third floor, marquetry made from various woods, a lacquered wall engraved with peony motifs, and ceramic brick walls draw inspiration from the personal collection of Emile Hermes, the third-generation leader of Hermes.
Known for his fascination with art and horses, Emile Hermes assembled an extensive collection of objects from around the world, including China.
