The luxury brand founded in Paris in 1837 as a harness-maker was Hermès.
Thierry Hermès opened his first Paris workshop in 1837 near the Madeleine church, specializing in high-quality horse harnesses and related equipment. Before moving to Paris, he had trained as a saddler and harness-maker in Pont-Audemer, Normandy, an area known for leatherworking.
The original business served riders and wealthy clients who depended on horses for travel and transport. Its reputation grew through technically skilled craftsmanship, including the hand saddle stitch, in which two needles pass waxed threads through the leather in opposing directions. Hermès received a first-class medal at the 1867 Exposition Universelle.
The house later broadened into saddles, leather bags, trunks, silk scarves, ready-to-wear, watches, jewelry, and perfume. That evolution explains why the brand is now usually categorized with fashion and luxury goods rather than equestrian equipment. The horse-and-carriage emblem preserves a visible reminder of its first trade.