French craftsmen and women demonstrate the traditional handiwork behind iconic designer accessories at the Bravern in Bellevue.
Posted by: Sarah Hirsch on Feb 22, 2011 at 07:00AM
February 23-28: Watch skilled Hermès artisans create the brand’s iconic pieces at the Bravern in Bellevue.
Raise your hand if you’ve sometimes wondered why luxury products and designer accessories are so expensive. It’s okay — no judgments here. Until you see the hand-sewn stitches or feel raised leather details, it’s natural to wonder about value and cachet.
Though Hermès’s Festival of Crafts doesn’t overtly aim to school you on hours spent creating the iconic Birkin bag in order to justify its price point, we’re thinking that after witnessing the company’s artisans do leather making demonstrations, silk engraving on those famed scarves, and jewelry detailing, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of couture collections, traditional techniques vs. factory work, luxury brands, and the merit of handmade goods.
The French fashion house, which began as a workshop specializing in fine leather harnesses and saddles in 1837, kicks off this interactive exhibit of craft and artisans in Bellevue. After a week at the Bravern, the craftspeople and their work go to Chicago and Washington D.C. before heading abroad.
The demos and exhibition are free and open to the public; they take place in Suite 115, across from Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton. The work will be on display beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23 through Monday, February 28, from 11 to 6 each day.
UPDATEStay tuned for a sneak-peek video from the media preview; we’ll post it here in the next 24 hours. Looks like it’ll take us a bit longer than that. Soon, though, I promise, and well worth it — the exhibit was really great. -Laura
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