Hermès Men's Fall 2026: Soaring to Success
How do you bid farewell to a creative director who has been with the brand for 37 years, a true fashion veteran? For Véronique Nichanian, it was a joyous and exuberant send-off, filled with new looks and a few familiar favorites. The collection showcased the luxury and muscle of Hermès, with a few quirky surprises thrown in for good measure.
Like the legendary Édith Piaf, Nichanian has no regrets. "There is no nostalgia. I'm happy, I'm proud of myself. I work very hard and with passion. I've made the style of the Hermès man, with simple lines, and I'm honest with myself. I love to play with fabrics, and the house has given me so much freedom to design. I make things that are the best for me and for the Hermès man. I'm straight to the point, and I never change my mind," she said.
Despite her plans to stay close to the Hermès family, Nichanian is ready to move on. "I want to do many things again, and now I have time to do them - to travel, live somewhere different, and do something different."
Her farewell was a grand affair, with glossy crocodile suits and coats for the holiday season, and luscious shearling pieces, some lined with pink grapefruit-colored fur, others icy white. A strong retro-aviator theme ran through the collection, recalling the flying ace and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Models donned shearling bombers, caps with earflaps, and coats with stand-up leather buckle collars. They carried boxy overnight bags in shades of sky blue, olive, and brown. Military-style onesies made from leather or snazzy glassy crocodile looked great, although perhaps not so practical for the cockpit.
Surfaces were colorful and tactile, with Nichanian adding small squares of leather to long, color-blocked scarves and patchwork sweaters. She added zips to plaid sweaters and adorned cozy turtlenecks with a blurry flower placement print. Those same delicate flowers became a subtle detail blossoming over the backs of gray tailored suits.
At the end of the show, Hermès paid tribute to Nichanian, showing clips of her taking a bow at various points during her three-plus decades at the house. Friends, including Sir Paul Smith, who has known her for 37 years and admires her steadiness and the staying power of her work, had popped to Paris for the day to say goodbye.
It is certainly the end of an era when designers have the discipline and luxury of building a vision over decades, with the support of brand owners who take the long view. Of course, there are no regrets.
