A creator, artisan and seller of high-quality objects since 1837, Hermès is an independent, family-owned French house that employs more than 16,600 people worldwide. Driven by its permanent entrepreneurial spirit and consistently high standards, Hermès cultivates the freedom and autonomy of each individual through responsible management. The company perpetuates the transmission of exceptional know-how through strong territorial presence that respects people and nature, a source of exceptional materials. Sixteen artisanal métiers nurture the creativity of the house, whose collections are presented in over 300 stores around the world.
The diptyque story began in Paris at 34 boulevard Saint-Germain with, at its heart, three friends driven by the same creative passion. Christiane Gautrot was an interior designer, Desmond Knox-Leet, a painter, and Yves Coueslant, a theater director and set designer. The first two collaborated designing fabrics and wallpaper for Liberty and Sanderson.
They were joined by the third in 1961 and opened a shop to display their designs. Yves became the administrator and consultant; Desmond and Christiane were the artistic soul. Bit by bit, with finely honed taste, the trio transformed the site into a one-of-a-kind setting, a kind of stylish bazaar where one found surprising articles unmatched in Paris, mined and conveyed home by the trio over the course of their travels.