Not much packaging in the history of fashion is as recognizable as Hermès. With its 183 years, the French brand has a strong identity that doesn’t need many marketing strategies or campaign. In fact, Hermès doesn’t have a marketing department! All their attention revolves around the customer experience and on the quality of their products. The first thing that communicates the quality and elegance associated with the brand is the packaging of their products: the iconic orange box with black borders.
At first, the Hermès packaging was cream, and the story behind their evolution is tied to the history of Paris and Europe. In 1942, World War II was already started and Paris was occupied by the Nazis. The conditions of the city and the Parisians were disastrous because the war stopped trades and transportations. Even the Hermès boutique, that was already open for 105 years, managed by Emile-Maurice Hermès, finished all their packaging stocks and there was no way they could produce new ones. Their usual supplier only had in stock the boxes that no one wanted: the orange ones. Emile-Maurice added to the boxes a brown ribbon and their logo, and this is how the current Hermès packaging was born.
The rest, as they say, was history. Hermès is a great example that choosing a strong brand direction for your packaging can really pay off. When done properly, your packaging can immediately relay your brand’s mission, message and value proposition. The first thing that anyone will experience of your product is your packaging and its color, even if it’s not the one you originally intended ?
