For over a decade, Hermès’ Nadège Vanhée has been designing some of the world’s most coveted clothing. Her art is a study of human nature and joyful fashion.
Photo: Sam Rawadi
Nadège Vanhée arrives at the Hermès headquarters in Paris cheeks aflush, her mass of Venetian blonde locks windswept. The last time we sat down for a Vogue Arabia interview, some years ago, she wore the wistful daze of a new mother in the throes of newborn love. Now, her baby is a toddler, and à propos, she is something of a woman on the run, dashing from one appointment to the next. Upon arriving, she signals for a coffee, instantly blushing for this “fashion moment.” Observing this, and one can only smile endearingly, for Vanhée is adored not just for her exceptional skill as the creative director of women’s ready-to-wear at Hermès, which she has helmed for the past 10 years, but for her openness to others. For her desire to listen to others, to consider their talents, and to uplift them.
Vanhée describes herself as curious and inquisitive. “I’m never content – in the sense that I don’t really satisfy myself,” she says, speaking in English with a soft French accent. Her timbre doesn’t alienate, but rather invites one to lean in, as if on the cusp of being told a secret. “I’m not living in perpetual fear or perpetual doubt. It’s not about how can I do it better but how can I do it another way,” she continues, explaining her state of mind. The designer, who learned her craft at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, explains that her process can be quite focused, and it begins by taking pen to paper. But not to sketch, as one would assume, but rather, to write. “I always start by writing a certain manifesto. What is it that I would like to reach? What would I like the team to reach? Where do I invite them to go?”
Photo: Sam Rawadi
Serendipitously, one week prior to this interview, I came across a former member of Vanhée’s design team. I mention the former employee and instantly Vanhée recalls that she was part of her knitwear team. The woman had expressed what a delight it was to work for Vanhée, that she felt welcomed by her and her team and that the ideas she brought forth mattered. Vanhée smiles, “I think the collective of people I have is important.” She continues, explaining that once she has determined the former, she considers how to show the behavior of the clothes. At the heart of Vanhée’s designs is human behavior. “How do people dress now and what do women choose to convey a certain attitude?” she posits. “Then, of course, I’ll look at the heritage of the house.” She consults the work of the Hermès designers that came before her, and cites Gaultier, Lemaire, and Margiela. “The creative process is a patchwork,” she explains. “It’s not linear, it’s perpetually circular.”
Photo: Sam Rawadi
Vanhée recalls when she herself was hired at Hermès, 12 years ago. “I was excited about the house; it’s part of French culture, it is embedded in references of beauty, sophistication, and quality,” she says. The designer remembers being on vacation, hiking through the south of Japan, when she received the life-changing call. “The call came as a big surprise,” she says. While it was an important holiday for her, she made the decision to shorten it. Considering the years that have since passed, Vanhée notes that the house has grown vastly, in terms of talents and humanity. “We see people with value joining the adventure; it’s exciting,” she says. “I always saw the house as a dynamic one, and now I understand better the body language of the maison – one year doesn’t look like the other one.”
Naturally, the Hermès woman has evolved too. “There’s a plurality of women at Hermès. The house is generous and emphatic, and I have the same inclination. I design for different body types, different cultures, for different tastes also. And that is what is interesting. It’s also about a sense of color and composition. There are different women at Hermès with different types of objectives, priorities, and interests, but what I can really see is that they have a lot of fun and pleasure.” Vanhée continues that the Hermès woman doesn’t just buy to get dressed, or for status. “They buy because they are excited about it. Women want to see the most extraordinary pieces and they want to wear them. They want to be seen in them. There is more fashion in the Hermès woman.”
Photo: Sam Rawadi
The SS24 collection shown on these pages is a testament to the designer’s words. It was revealed in a staged meadow, with the runway winding through a field of wheat. Vanhée explains that this element of nature is dear to Hermès, and one that she recognized since her appointment. “When I arrived, there was a strong, beautiful dance with nature at Hermès. We don’t transform nature, but we observe it, and we respect it. It’s important for me to bring this characteristic to the runway.” She talks about the sensuality that she sees as a woman feeling the sun and the heat on her skin and being in contact with the elements. The relationship with one’s body but also how one feels in her body outside, especially on summer days. “And it’s a gift to our audience who comes to the show,” she smiles, recalling the meadow’s golden reverie.
Photo: Sam Rawadi
The collection that sinewed through the tall grass showcased contemporary silhouettes in monochrome hues. A pinstriped trench, a leather slip dress, or a slim or voluminous skirt appeared both refined and romantic. Nothing was overtly structured. There was a softness in the geometric lines decorating a turtleneck and a suppleness in the pants that became a skirt. The leather seemed to float on the body, in constant dialogue, and perforations and cut-outs invited it to breathe. Vanhée explains that her choices of hues were meant to honor the foundations of leather. “We always anchor color to the leather, and I wanted to bring a modernity to it, so I worked around the warm gray called ecru.” She used colors known to leather goods but hues like maroon created more of a surprise. Meanwhile, white and poppy red spoke to force, passion, and vitality, and purity and confidence. At Hermès, colors have values, the designer notes.
As for Vanhée’s own nature, she explains that catching her breath is her art de vivre. She scoops up an art book on abstract sculptures and gathers her things to go. The designer describes her mood as joyful. Observing the bookshelves and the bustle of people in the adjoining room, she adds, “Every day there is something quite fun to do. I enjoy every day here.” Happiness will always be in fashion.
Photography: Sam Rawadi
Style: Marilla Rizzi
Hair and makeup: Ivan Kuz
Set design: Yehia Bedeir
Producer: Danica Zivkovic
Talent: Maitha Al Hajeri
Location: 9 Valleys stable
Production assistant: Amira Hached
Style assistant: Rana Mourad
Set design assistant: Omar Shaaban
Special thanks: Declan Cosgrove
Originally published in the May 2024 issue of Vogue Arabia
