Thierry Hermès established the Paris harness workshop that became Hermès in 1837.
The company began as a maker of high-quality harnesses and bridles for European carriage owners. Thierry Hermès, a German-born harness maker, founded the business in Paris during the nineteenth-century expansion of horse-drawn transportation. Its early reputation rested on durable materials, skilled leatherwork, and attention to the needs of riders and carriage users.
As transportation changed, the business broadened its products beyond harness equipment. Hermès later became associated with saddlery, bags, travel goods, silk scarves, watches, clothing, and other luxury products, while continuing to emphasize craftsmanship.
The founding date is sometimes confused with later milestones, such as the company’s move to 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in 1880 or the introduction of the first silk scarf in 1937. Those dates mark expansion, not the original establishment.