Headphones don’t exactly rank high on the list of products you would expect from Hermes, but that is exactly what the French luxury fashion house has recently unveiled. The brand’s first ever headphones were designed and developed over two years by its 50-strong bespoke division, Ateliers Horizons.
Inspired by Hermes’ own Kelly bag, the headphones feature hand-stitched cowhide leather and metallic details for a minimalist look. The product will be available exclusively at select Hermes outlets in a variety of colours, including natural leather, black, chocolate, Prussian blue, as well as the brand’s signature rouge H.
Naturally, a luxury item like this doesn’t come cheap. Priced at a whopping US$15,000 (~RM63,800), these headphones will burn a hole through all but the fattest of wallets. But even if you could afford it, you likely won’t get your hands on a pair as they are not made with mass production in mind. Ateliers Horizons creative director Axel de Beaufort explained that the intention is to only have a few headsets “made perfectly”.
The headphones support both Bluetooth and wired connections, but beyond that, not much is known in terms of specifications. The brand has yet to disclose any details, although it reportedly sought to create an original “Hermes sound”. Whatever that entails will likely remain a mystery to all but those with the means to fork up the money.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time the brand has ventured into the tech realm, as it previously collaborated with Apple on smartwatches. Additionally, Ateliers Horizons has worked with audio products in the past, including jukeboxes and a speaker.
(Source: WWD)
