Hermès unveils renovated Chicago store

Parisian luxury brand Hermès has unveiled its fully renovated Chicago store.

Located in the iconic Gold Coast neighborhood at the intersection of Oak and Rush Street, the transformation is inspired by the landscape of Chicago, often referred to as the Windy City. 

In particular, the revamped store features a façade with vertical metallic partitions that increase the flow of natural light. On the ground floor, visitors are greeted with a display of men’s and women’s silk. To the left, shoppers will find a dedicated section for men’s ready-to-wear, and to the right, a fashion jewelry corner. 

Beyond that, there is a fragrances section with stucco-coated walls bearing an embossed Faubourg motif, while homeware collections are showcased on a podium at the central curved staircase, which also received a revamp.

Level one is home to leather goods, watches, and jewelry, adorned with dark-chocolate felt layers and brown carpets that contrast with the lighter rugs found in the women’s shoes, ready-to-wear, and equestrian accessories areas. Meanwhile, the second level introduces a brand-new after-sales lounge and a confidential salon offering panoramic views with pastel hues and translucent curtains reminiscent of Chicago’s famous fog.

The interior design expertly combines natural elements such as stone, wood, metal, and felt, creating a harmonious blend of Chicago’s dark brown tones and the frozen lake’s blue-grey shades. The unique carpet on the first level features the Faubourg pattern with a circular design that pays homage to stone canyons, while the walls follow a color gradient from dark chocolate on the ground floor to pink, beige, and white stucco on the upper levels. Even the furniture, with its subtle curves, evokes images of leaves delicately rustled by the wind.

Adding to the store’s charm are original artworks sourced from the Emile Hermès collection, including photographs by Japanese artists Yuji Obata and Tomio Seike, paying homage to the famous ‘Snowflake’ photographer, Wilson Bentley. 

The collection also includes a portrait of a horse by the French painter Louis Robert Heyrault and an equestrian picture by Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide, alongside works by Ellen Lesperance, William Steiger, Nigel Peake, Antoine Carbonne, and French sculptor Christian Renonciat. Black-and-white photographs of American jazzmen Cozy Cole and Dizzy Gillespie also grace the walls.

Hermès currently operates 42 stores in the United States.