United by craft: IFM Knitwear students collaborate with Hermès

Adam Jones, head of MA Knitwear Design, says the collaboration was natural, not only because of the students’ enthusiasm but also because of Hermès’ commitment to education. “Hermès as a house is very committed to working with schools.” Of course, that isn’t the extent of the maison’s appeal. For 187 years, the brand hasn’t just played in the luxury field; it has defined it. Granted exclusive access to the house’s archive and atelier, students were challenged to meet the house’s high standard of excellence.

Despite the brand’s carefully curated legacy, Hermès stands as an exciting partner for collaboration. Steven Chevallier, one of the students involved in the project, summarises his excitement: “[Their] blend of tradition with modern artistic expression showcases their commitment to both heritage and innovation.” For Jones, therein lay the true challenge this project presented—not just technical, but creative. “It’s important to encourage young designers to express their personal voices and values while navigating the specificities of an existing house.”

Under Jones’ guidance, students utilised their point of view to further Hermès’ scope. From traditional garments passed down for generations to emotional portrayals of family history, every designer interpreted Hermès’ legacy in entirely unique ways. The result proved that craft is more than cultural heritage; it’s a human tradition.

Ding Yi

A good designer might be hard to find, but according to Ding Yi, they’re easy to identify. “It’s important to establish their signature languages, symbolic image, iconic silhouette, unique color matching, and memorable details—recognize these and emphasize them again and again.” This isn’t just the expectation the young designer has set for herself; it’s one of the many reasons she admires Hermès so much. Over the course of its 187 years, the maison has found ways to constantly innovate. “In addition to the continuation of classic brand elements, what impresses me the most about Hermès is how good they are at collaborating with artists to discover more styles and lines.” Ding understands the responsibility placed on her shoulders. She wasn’t just asked to interpret the Hermès legacy but to broaden it. The young designer took the opportunity to dive into her childhood imagery. She explains, “I reconstructed Hermès heritage elements to interpret what travel meant to me as a child.” Her message is relayed perfectly in a funnel-neck cropped jumper with lace jacquard and what she refers to as “special ‘knitting leather.’” The young designer had a clear purpose for her project. As she puts it, she wanted to “use concise language to create a look to illustrate the core image of the brand.” We can confidently say she succeeded.

Ása Bríet Brattaberg 

Dedication to craft stands as an intercultural bridge. That is, at least, what Ása Brattaberg discovered on her visit to the Hermès ateliers. “During it, I was struck by the professionalism and dedication of the artisans; their respect for the craft and the tradition they uphold is truly inspiring.” The young designer wasn’t just inspired; she was moved. “It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of honoring the hands and minds behind every creation.” Brattaberg related to their commitment on an emotional level. “In my work, I draw heavily from the craftsmanship and handcraft traditions of Iceland and the Faroe Islands, passed down to me by my grandmothers.” In their shared dedication, she found the starting point for her project. “I was inspired by the traditional Icelandic knitted sweater ‘Lopapeysa,’ emphasizing the thread as a glue that binds our community together. The feminine upper half, traditionally knitted by women, contrasts with the sturdy, utilitarian bottom, that typically was knitted by men.” Despite the garment’s typically robust nature, Brattaberg added the touch of Hermès’ idiosyncratic luxury. “I aimed to bring in a delicate, intricate touch. The pattern is more sensitive to vision with a more complex understanding. The sweater is made of 100% cashmere, and mohair threads hold it together,” she explains. The designer understands the collaboration’s value in two ways. Firstly, it allowed her to preserve the legacy passed down by her family, and it proved to her that there’s a place in the industry for her point of view. “This process not only enhances my skills but also helps me envision how to contribute positively to the fashion industry’s future.”

Clémentine

Knitting is a particularly emotional practice. Something about its historically handmade process invites introspective meditation. That is, at least, what Clémentine discovered through her collaboration with Hermès. In the beginning phase of producing her collection, the designer aimed to fuse her family history with the Maison’s legacy. As she explains, her initial plan was to “use the iconic ‘chaîne d’encre’ as a starting point to introduce my grandpa, who was a fisherman, and many other relatives who were in the navy.” But after a tragedy hit her family, the project turned deeply emotional. “Unfortunately, my grandpa passed away while I was working on this project, so it became really important for me to finish this sweater well.” What started as an academic project soon turned into a unifying element of her family’s grieving process. “For the making, I went to Brittany, where my grandma, my mom, and my two little sisters helped me crochet everything together. It truly became a project shared with my family as a way to say goodbye to my grandpa.” This emotion is visible in the oversized cable sweater she, alongside her family, carefully knit. To represent her grandfather’s legacy, the young designer opted to develop and intertwine unique cables, representative of different nautical chains and ropes. “I knitted many of them in bands and connected them all together using an open chain stitch in crochet,” explains Clémentine.

Sarah Corcos

Despite Hermès’ almost two-century-long legacy, the Birkin bag might be its most recognizable icon. Invented in the 1980s after a conversation with its namesake actress, the accessory has remained in the zeitgeist ever since its creation. For her project, Sarah Corcos decided to personify the bag once again, but this time, instead of Jane Birkin, it’s a “mythical reptilian woman concealing her true identity.” Her narrative is brought to life through a dress that emulates a reptilian’s skin through knit. For Corcos, the aesthetic aspect of her collection was just one dimension of the project; the true challenge was not creative but technical. “It was important to get the closest possible to Hermès quality and finishings,” she says. “By making a garment that mixes knitwear and leather, I’ve learnt that every material has its own way of reacting to the process.” The attention to detail that guided her entire process wasn’t born out of thin air; it was inspired by her visit to the Hermès offices. “What really struck me was the ateliers and the savoir-faire, with every artisan making his own personal Hermès tools before starting, and all the extremely meticulous techniques used.”

Sofia Castellon

The journey of a thousand steps starts with a single one. And for Sofia Castellon, it was the first she took in the Hermès offices. It was during her visit to the headquarters that the young designer fell in love with the Maison’s signature scarves.  With a deeply narrative approach, the designer imagined not only a physical garment but a story that fueled its existence. “This project tells the story of a Mariachi band in a cantina in Mexico City that meets a tourist with this elegant Hermès scarf.” The narrative unfolds like a fairytale. Castellon continues her fable, “Like Cinderella, the tourist suddenly has to leave, accidentally leaving his scarf behind. The mariachis gather around the abandoned scarf, and in their excitement, a tug-of-war ensues, shredding it to pieces.” It’s through the torn scarf that we see her project start to take shape. Mariachi attire is formed through the torn accessory, blending the cultural lines seamlessly. There’s also a clear touch of rock and roll in her piece—Castellon cites Courtney Love as a muse. Our Mariachi family is also permeated by the rock bug. As the designer chronicles, “Determined to acquire more Hermès scarves, they realize their only chance is to form a rock band and tour the world.” Castellon draws us in. We want to know the misadventures of the cheekily named Her Mess band. Her narrative, besides being an interesting peek into Castellon’s process, was a method used to reconcile her aesthetic—described by her as “often chaotic”—and Hermès’ characteristic sophistication. Through it, she found a useful tool: her confidence. “This experience taught me that confidence in your vision is just as important as the technical execution.”

Sojung Lee

There’s nothing like a garment in movement. Even though fashion is preserved still, garments are made to be worn. Sojung Lee’s collaboration with Hermès fully embodies this duality. When still, her knitted garment is curiously architectural—a knitted skirt with curved pleats—but when spun, the garment balloons, creating a dome-like structure. Inspired by Korean temples, Sojung creates a colorful homage to her culture. “These details caught my attention during my grandmother’s funeral at a Korean temple, and I wanted to incorporate those forms into the pleats of my design.” Her approach is complex. The pleats in question aren’t just design choices; they are decisions made with philosophical intent. Based on the philosopher Zhuangzi’s “Butterfly Dream,” the young designer sought to, as she puts it, “explore the variations in perception based on individual viewpoints—reflected in the repeated pleat units and the subtle changes within them.” These aren’t just creatively rich; they’re also technically impressive. “I developed new pleated shapes through Stoll programming and perfectly integrated Hermès’ scarf archive graphics within the pleats.” Motivated by Hermès’ dedication to both beauty and innovation, Sojung honed in on making sustainability a priority in her process. This commitment materialized in the complex pleats that, as she explains, were “knit with precise calculations for size and placement, allowing the skirt to be finished without cutting or linking.”

Steven Chevallier

Steven Chevallier’s design language is unmistakable. With a passion for painting and a deep devotion to the craft of knit, the Hermès collaboration presented an opportunity like no other. The young designer—whose name has appeared in several publications over the past year—has created a visual identity. His colorful creations blend the lines between the real and the surreal. Now, challenged with adapting his extravagant style to a maison like Hermès, he took it as a way to prove himself adaptable. “I immediately thought about all the amazing scarves they have created; it’s fascinating that Hermès engages in numerous collaborations with contemporary artists for their scarf designs.” Inspired by the blend of tradition and modern artistic expression, “The Traveler” stands as a new chapter in Chevallier’s journey. Captivated by the trip to Hermès headquarters, the young designer found inspiration in an unlikely place. “We saw a trunk with various vintage stickers on it; the archivist explained to us that, in the past, people who worked on the trains would help men who were chatting with their wives to communicate with their mistresses through stickers connected to the suitcase.” Taking on the idea of the trunk maker, Chevallier was further inspired by a picture by Nicolas De Larmessin. “The illustration is fantastic, and the silhouette influenced me a lot for my own designs.”

Wu Wenji

The glamor of the fashion industry can often act to its disservice. Behind its carefully crafted image, Hermès upholds the image they sell. For Wu Wenji, the realization that the maison’s walk matched their talk was inspiring. After visiting Hermès’ production and inspection process, the young designer understood the extent of their work. “I really admire Hermès’ spirit of striving for perfection.” To honor the commitment to craft he witnessed, Wu created a look inspired by the brand’s menswear line. Titled “Bo Ya Breaks the Strings,” his project hones in on what he calls the line’s ability to “consistently innovate within the framework of classic and elegant quality menswear through thoughtful design.” For Wu, the project wasn’t just an homage to Hermès’ legacy; it was a love letter to his mentor. “I created a project as a way to express my gratitude to my mentor for discovering my drawing and design potential.” Wu found the experience invaluable, describing it as “a significant milestone in my life.” The statement isn’t hyperbole; he found it revolutionary for the way he’ll create from now on and how to operate in the industry. “The goal is to fully showcase my design strengths while ensuring the brand can recognize them, ultimately gaining customer approval.”

Xingyi Jin 

The extensive catalog of Hermès’ legacy poses a challenge in itself. Tasked with sorting through 187 years of history, students had to figure out what exactly their project would touch on. Xingyi Jin has always been a fan of the maison’s graphic design, so when it came time to pick what her garment would focus on, she didn’t hesitate. But even though the decision was made easily, the process to execute it involved a learning curve. “It all felt really new to me, it was my first time doing something so graphic,” relays Xingyi. Inspired by religious furniture and the classic boxes from Hermès, the young designer created a geometric shift dress. The piece, which sits just below the knees, cleverly intertwines leather and knit. For Xingyi, this was a project of firsts. “This was a challenge to me, it’s the first time I tried to combine leather and knit together.” The trials weren’t purely technical; the collaboration gave Xingyi an opportunity to step out of her comfort zone. “I felt the importance of time management and understood how much I still had to learn.” The young designer was forged in the fire of semi-professional responsibility. “I feel I made a big improvement through this project. Professionally, this is the first time that I collaborated with a brand.”

Yuedi Viola Zhang

The creative process is not just productive; it can be personally enriching. That is, at least, what Yuedi Viola Zhang discovered while developing her collaboration with Hermès. “It helped me to discover part of myself that hasn’t been revealed before in my creative journey.” Or rather, it helped her find the courage to embrace all the tools she had at her disposal. “I had a complicated relationship with AI because of my dad, but I decided to accept it, and it has become my very intimate design partner,” she elaborates. Zhang doesn’t use the term “partner” lightly. Her project, titled Orange on Air, presents itself as a discussion with AI on how to adapt technology in the creative fields. Inspired by Hermès’ long history with horseback riding, the young designer fashions a similar relationship. This dynamic was also represented in literal ways. Taking on the idea of harnesses, Zhang created an ethereal orange cape made of deadstock yarn that lays asymmetrically—almost organically—on the body. For the young designer, the project went beyond its collaborative purpose—it was a process of self-discovery. “It’s helped me differentiate which part of this practice is really just about you and which part comes from the legacy of the house, which helped me further realize and identify my design identity.”