A delightfully illustrated miscellany of stories from the world of Hermès

Drawn from the archives of Hermès, here is a collection of enchanting stories and profiles that trace the odyssey of the family business founded by Thierry Hermès in 1837.

Author Luc Charbin brings to life the voices of the saddlers, sales assistants, window-dressers, silversmiths, and gardeners of Hermès across several generations, accompanied by the distinctive drawings of Alice Charbin.

A leather-clad wheelbarrow to store the Duchess of Windsor’s many gloves, a capricious apple tree, an extraordinary museum, an iconic bag, and a 40-year-old diary in the spotlight these are among the characters and objects that tell the story of Hermès: Straight from the Horse’s Mouth.

About the Author

Luc Charbin has a taste for well-chosen words and stories retrieved from oblivion. Privy to the secrets of dictionaries and encyclopedias, he has made family archives his specialty. His pen has contributed to many collective works including editorials and speeches. Straight from the Horse's Mouth is his first publication written under his own name. After studying at Camberwell College of Arts in London, Alice Charbin returned to Paris where she now lives with Luc and their five children. She works for publishers as well as the press and the theatre.

An author and illustrator of books for readers both young and old, she loves to create a colorful and poetic universe, which is brought to life through the tender humor of her drawings. Having contributed to the Hermes website for fifteen years, her illustrations were compiled into a book, Hermes au fil des jours (Chene, 2019). Her latest publication, Rita sauvee des eaux, came out in 2020 (Delcourt).

She also happens to be one of the many great-grandchildren of Emile Hermes.