As a self-confessed Hermes nerd, my home store has allowed me to spend many hours of quiet study in the closeted rooms of the boutique, with the special order leather coffret (that red box) as my reference material. Over time, I've made pages of handwritten notes about all the various leathers I own from Hermes - after all, knowing the nuances of the different skins elevates my appreciation of the items I use in my daily life.
These notes, reproduced from the coffret, are the official descriptions from Hermes and will supplement the robust fund of knowledge in our reference threads.
Enjoy!
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Veau Togo
Description: This leather, the result of an intensive drumming process that brings out its natural features, owes its name to the theme of the year of its creation: Africa. It is named after an African country.
First appeared in the collections: 1997
Appearance: Matt; round and irregular grain; veins and wrinkles often visible and very pronounced
Feel: Dry; quite responsive; well-rounded
Hand: Supple and responsive
Change over time: Softens
Taurillon Clemence
Description: Named in tribute to the daughter of the designer who introduced it into the collections, this leather was developed for luggage and is the ultimate example of a grained leather that has been drummed. This process softens the skin and brings a generous grain to the surface.
First appeared in the collections: 1992
Appearance: Semi-matt, generous and irregular grain
Feel: Soft and creamy
Hand: Yielding
Change over time: Becomes more supple
Taurillion Maurice
Description: A new bullcalf with a comforting, small, round and well-defined grain. Offers an alternative to Clemence, with better hold.
First appeared in the collections: 2017
Appearance: Small, round, full and fairly regular grain. Satiny, wide range of colors
Feel: Quite neutral, softens over time
Hand: Supple and very responsive, well-rounded hand
Change over time: Keeps its responsiveness, the surface becomes more satiny
Taurillon Cristobal
Description: Cristobal leather is a very fine-grained leather that is almost completely smooth. Its name refers to Christopher Columbus. Very understated, its matt appearance with dark, muted colors makes it a very masculine leather.
First appeared in the collections: 2013
Appearance: Imperceptible, very fine drummed grain that is regular and understated
Feel: Quite dry
Hand: Supple and soft
Change over time: Becomes glossier, darker and more satiny
Veau Epsom
Description: This printed leather takes its name from a town in south-east England that is famous for its horse races. Its fine, regular grain, obtained through machine-printing, has a striking, beautifully subtle dual tone.
First appeared in the collections: 2004
Appearance: Small, regular and slightly glossy grain; uniform; deep colors
Feel: Dry, with a slightly "up and down" grain
Hand: Round and firm
Change over time: Keeps its shape, scratch-resistant. The grain fades in areas exposed to a lot of contact or rubbing
Veau Swift
Description: This extremely supple, sophisticated leather is named after Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, to highlight its resemblance to Gulliver calfskin, which no longer features in today’s collections.
First appeared in the collections: 2004
Appearance: Almost smooth with a delicate shine; lightly marked grain that is sometimes hardly noticeable
Feel: Soft and tender
Hand: Supple and generous
Change over time: Becomes even more supple
Boxcalf
Description: Emblematic of Hermes, this calfskin took its name from the "Box" tanning technique that originated in England and which uses a specific skill to give the leather a particular hand and appearance, bringing the richly deep, dark hues to life.
First appeared in the collections: 1920s
Appearance: Smooth and glossy; deep tone; long, fine grain
Feel: Polished and ultra-smooth
Hand: Round, firm and full
Change over time: Delicate; sensitive to scratches at first, acquires a beautiful patina; the glossiness fades; keeps its shape
Barenia
Description: Originally, Barenia leather was tanned near the village of Barr in Alsace, Eastern France - hence its name. Emblematic of Hermes, it is described by craftsmen as magical because it absorbs marks and light scratches when used.
First appeared in the collections: 1970
Appearance: Smooth, matte and mottled; veins and wrinkles are visible due to transparency
Feel: Full bodied and well nourished
Change over time: Quickly develops a patina, darkening in areas most handled and becoming glossier and softer with time
Veau Evergrain
Description: In the same family as Evercalf calfskin, it has a similar softness but a discreet printed grain that is extremely regular, as its name suggests.
First appeared in the collections: 2004
Appearance: A fine grain which is regular and light; satiny
Feel: Grain almost undetectable
Hand: Supple and yielding
Change over time: Becomes shinier and softer
Veau Evercolor
Description: Complementary to Evergrain calfskin, this leather has a similar suppleness and comes in a wide palette of "forever" colors.
First appeared in the collections: 2012
Appearance: Satiny; small, regular grain obtained by printing
Feel: Grain more visible than that of Evergrain calfskin
Hand: Supple and soft
Change over time: Softens and becomes shinier
Veau Sombrero
Description: This leather was initially developed for men’s bags. Less classical than Box calfskin and less raw than Barenia, Sombrero calfskin is a very urban leather.
First appeared in the collections: 2011
Appearance: Ultra-matt; even color; dark
Feel: Dry
Hand: Firm
Change over time: Keeps its shape; becomes more satiny in the areas handled most often
Veau Negonda
Description: Negonda calfskin is the only Hermes leather obtained through shrinking. Prior to tanning, the skins are given a treatment that makes them contract. What they lose in size they gain in density, and their natural characteristics are accentuated. The wrinkles are marked, and the grain is firm and irregular.
First appeared in the collections: 2002
Appearance: Deeply grained; quite matt; "comforting"
Feel: Dry
Hand: Round; quite responsive
Change over time: Becomes slightly satiny and more supple
Veau Alamo
Description: This leather is very supple and yielding, with a small but quite pronounced grain, in solid, strong and uniform shades.
First appeared in the collections: 2013
Appearance: Small, regular and reassuring grain
Feel: Very supple, accentuated by intensive drumming
Hand: Yielding and full
Change over time: It becomes more supple and markedly more satiny in the areas most handled; the colors stay stable
Hunter Cowhide
Description: This leather is named after an equestrian discipline that places as much importance on technique as elegance. 100% vegetable tanned, very firm hand, thick and dense, this leather is perfectly suited to flap structures, fastening cords and straps.
First appeared in the collections: 1998
Appearance: Smooth; slightly satiny
Feel: Smooth and soft
Hand: Very firm hand
Change over time: Stable; becomes slightly more satiny
Chevre Mysore
Description: As its name – borrowed from a southern Indian town – suggests, the raw hide comes from India. It is recognizable by its unique grain, obtained through boarding. This consists of rolling the leather against itself, grain against grain, to guide the grain. This can be done in a single direction to obtain fine lines or in several different directions.
First appeared in the collections: 1990s
Appearance: Irregular but harmonious grain; slight shine that reveals all the natural features of goatskin
Feel: Fairly dry; softens with time
Hand: Supple
Change over time: Becomes more supple and satiny
Milo Lambskin
Description: Milo lambskin is none other than the lambskin used for gloves. Its name, which refers to the Venus de Milo, evokes its natural beauty and elegance.
First appeared in the collections: 2005
Appearance: Smooth and slightly glossy
Feel: Very soft
Hand: Extremely supple; originally used for gloves
Change over time: Becomes more supple and moulds itself completely to the required shape
Ostrich
Description: Ostrich skin is identifiable by its follicles, the points from which the feathers grow. In order to prevent them from lifting or getting damaged, Hermes flattens them and triples the skin. This is what gives this precious material its unique appearance.
First appeared in the collections: 1920
Appearance: Very pronounced dual tone
Feel: Felted
Hand: Round and firm, due to the tripling
Change over time: Particularly sensitive to light; darkens with use and takes on a satiny shine but retains its shape
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
PS: The above list is not exhaustive as I've only annotated about leathers I currently own.
These notes, reproduced from the coffret, are the official descriptions from Hermes and will supplement the robust fund of knowledge in our reference threads.
Enjoy!
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
Veau Togo
Description: This leather, the result of an intensive drumming process that brings out its natural features, owes its name to the theme of the year of its creation: Africa. It is named after an African country.
First appeared in the collections: 1997
Appearance: Matt; round and irregular grain; veins and wrinkles often visible and very pronounced
Feel: Dry; quite responsive; well-rounded
Hand: Supple and responsive
Change over time: Softens
Taurillon Clemence
Description: Named in tribute to the daughter of the designer who introduced it into the collections, this leather was developed for luggage and is the ultimate example of a grained leather that has been drummed. This process softens the skin and brings a generous grain to the surface.
First appeared in the collections: 1992
Appearance: Semi-matt, generous and irregular grain
Feel: Soft and creamy
Hand: Yielding
Change over time: Becomes more supple
Taurillion Maurice
Description: A new bullcalf with a comforting, small, round and well-defined grain. Offers an alternative to Clemence, with better hold.
First appeared in the collections: 2017
Appearance: Small, round, full and fairly regular grain. Satiny, wide range of colors
Feel: Quite neutral, softens over time
Hand: Supple and very responsive, well-rounded hand
Change over time: Keeps its responsiveness, the surface becomes more satiny
Taurillon Cristobal
Description: Cristobal leather is a very fine-grained leather that is almost completely smooth. Its name refers to Christopher Columbus. Very understated, its matt appearance with dark, muted colors makes it a very masculine leather.
First appeared in the collections: 2013
Appearance: Imperceptible, very fine drummed grain that is regular and understated
Feel: Quite dry
Hand: Supple and soft
Change over time: Becomes glossier, darker and more satiny
Veau Epsom
Description: This printed leather takes its name from a town in south-east England that is famous for its horse races. Its fine, regular grain, obtained through machine-printing, has a striking, beautifully subtle dual tone.
First appeared in the collections: 2004
Appearance: Small, regular and slightly glossy grain; uniform; deep colors
Feel: Dry, with a slightly "up and down" grain
Hand: Round and firm
Change over time: Keeps its shape, scratch-resistant. The grain fades in areas exposed to a lot of contact or rubbing
Veau Swift
Description: This extremely supple, sophisticated leather is named after Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, to highlight its resemblance to Gulliver calfskin, which no longer features in today’s collections.
First appeared in the collections: 2004
Appearance: Almost smooth with a delicate shine; lightly marked grain that is sometimes hardly noticeable
Feel: Soft and tender
Hand: Supple and generous
Change over time: Becomes even more supple
Boxcalf
Description: Emblematic of Hermes, this calfskin took its name from the "Box" tanning technique that originated in England and which uses a specific skill to give the leather a particular hand and appearance, bringing the richly deep, dark hues to life.
First appeared in the collections: 1920s
Appearance: Smooth and glossy; deep tone; long, fine grain
Feel: Polished and ultra-smooth
Hand: Round, firm and full
Change over time: Delicate; sensitive to scratches at first, acquires a beautiful patina; the glossiness fades; keeps its shape
Barenia
Description: Originally, Barenia leather was tanned near the village of Barr in Alsace, Eastern France - hence its name. Emblematic of Hermes, it is described by craftsmen as magical because it absorbs marks and light scratches when used.
First appeared in the collections: 1970
Appearance: Smooth, matte and mottled; veins and wrinkles are visible due to transparency
Feel: Full bodied and well nourished
Change over time: Quickly develops a patina, darkening in areas most handled and becoming glossier and softer with time
Veau Evergrain
Description: In the same family as Evercalf calfskin, it has a similar softness but a discreet printed grain that is extremely regular, as its name suggests.
First appeared in the collections: 2004
Appearance: A fine grain which is regular and light; satiny
Feel: Grain almost undetectable
Hand: Supple and yielding
Change over time: Becomes shinier and softer
Veau Evercolor
Description: Complementary to Evergrain calfskin, this leather has a similar suppleness and comes in a wide palette of "forever" colors.
First appeared in the collections: 2012
Appearance: Satiny; small, regular grain obtained by printing
Feel: Grain more visible than that of Evergrain calfskin
Hand: Supple and soft
Change over time: Softens and becomes shinier
Veau Sombrero
Description: This leather was initially developed for men’s bags. Less classical than Box calfskin and less raw than Barenia, Sombrero calfskin is a very urban leather.
First appeared in the collections: 2011
Appearance: Ultra-matt; even color; dark
Feel: Dry
Hand: Firm
Change over time: Keeps its shape; becomes more satiny in the areas handled most often
Veau Negonda
Description: Negonda calfskin is the only Hermes leather obtained through shrinking. Prior to tanning, the skins are given a treatment that makes them contract. What they lose in size they gain in density, and their natural characteristics are accentuated. The wrinkles are marked, and the grain is firm and irregular.
First appeared in the collections: 2002
Appearance: Deeply grained; quite matt; "comforting"
Feel: Dry
Hand: Round; quite responsive
Change over time: Becomes slightly satiny and more supple
Veau Alamo
Description: This leather is very supple and yielding, with a small but quite pronounced grain, in solid, strong and uniform shades.
First appeared in the collections: 2013
Appearance: Small, regular and reassuring grain
Feel: Very supple, accentuated by intensive drumming
Hand: Yielding and full
Change over time: It becomes more supple and markedly more satiny in the areas most handled; the colors stay stable
Hunter Cowhide
Description: This leather is named after an equestrian discipline that places as much importance on technique as elegance. 100% vegetable tanned, very firm hand, thick and dense, this leather is perfectly suited to flap structures, fastening cords and straps.
First appeared in the collections: 1998
Appearance: Smooth; slightly satiny
Feel: Smooth and soft
Hand: Very firm hand
Change over time: Stable; becomes slightly more satiny
Chevre Mysore
Description: As its name – borrowed from a southern Indian town – suggests, the raw hide comes from India. It is recognizable by its unique grain, obtained through boarding. This consists of rolling the leather against itself, grain against grain, to guide the grain. This can be done in a single direction to obtain fine lines or in several different directions.
First appeared in the collections: 1990s
Appearance: Irregular but harmonious grain; slight shine that reveals all the natural features of goatskin
Feel: Fairly dry; softens with time
Hand: Supple
Change over time: Becomes more supple and satiny
Milo Lambskin
Description: Milo lambskin is none other than the lambskin used for gloves. Its name, which refers to the Venus de Milo, evokes its natural beauty and elegance.
First appeared in the collections: 2005
Appearance: Smooth and slightly glossy
Feel: Very soft
Hand: Extremely supple; originally used for gloves
Change over time: Becomes more supple and moulds itself completely to the required shape
Ostrich
Description: Ostrich skin is identifiable by its follicles, the points from which the feathers grow. In order to prevent them from lifting or getting damaged, Hermes flattens them and triples the skin. This is what gives this precious material its unique appearance.
First appeared in the collections: 1920
Appearance: Very pronounced dual tone
Feel: Felted
Hand: Round and firm, due to the tripling
Change over time: Particularly sensitive to light; darkens with use and takes on a satiny shine but retains its shape
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
PS: The above list is not exhaustive as I've only annotated about leathers I currently own.
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