She's also the longest-serving artistic director at a French maison
Behind every well-dressed man, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the same woman—Véronique Nichanian. The artistic director of the Hermès men’s universe has been clothing men with exacting standards since she joined the brand in 1988, and inspires fierce loyalty from a clientele that, it is safe to deduce, is not exactly short on resources to get what they want.
“I try to express how a man wants to dress today, but at the same time, I create clothes that they can keep for a long time,” said Nichanian when we met for tea at Chiltern Firehouse in London.
“I try to seduce the men,” she said with a hint of a smile and a twinkle in her eye, offering a glimpse of her excitement about designing a comprehensive collection, a task she has done with characteristic finesse for over three decades.
While keeping things current is a given for any fashion and lifestyle brand—hence the Instagram-friendly, immersive quality of the Step Into The Frame event held in London last March—longevity will always be at the centre of the conversation for both Nichanian and Hermès.
“It really is a matter of quality and style,” she said when asked about the secret to bridging timeliness and timelessness in her designs. The reason for her unusually long tenure and enviable consistent output? “The past 31 years has been about creating with complete freedom and passion. It’s like a love affair. When you’re happy, time moves very fast.” Here, we ask more questions about her creative journey with Hermès.