Hermès just opened a new maison on London's Bond Street
Hermès just opened a new London maison at 166 New Bond Street, giving Britain's most exclusive shopping street yet another reason for regular visits. The French house unveiled the much-anticipated address across six Grade II listed Georgian townhouses, turning a £75 million property purchase into an exceptional platform for craftsmanship on a thoroughfare ranked alongside Avenue Montaigne and Fifth Avenue.
Key Takeaways
- Hermès just opened a new 55-room maison at 166 New Bond Street spanning more than 21,000 square feet across five floors.
- The site unites six interlinked townhouses once home to Asprey, redesigned by Paris studio RDAI under Denis Montel.
- More than 50 artisans and 500 artworks shape interiors devoted to every Hermès métier, from leather goods to ready-to-wear.
- Artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas framed the project as a distinctly British expression of the house's equestrian heritage.
- CEO Axel Dumas said the family bought the building for the seventh generation, not short-term marketing strategy.
Why does Hermès's new Bond Street maison matter?
New Bond Street has long drawn comparisons to Via Montenapoleone and Fifth Avenue, with neighbors including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Bulgari. Robb Report notes the street has evolved from a fashionable residential address into Britain's premier luxury shopping destination, and this opening marks a significant chapter in that story.
The maison occupies townhouses that housed Asprey from 1847 until Hermès acquired the property for £75 million in 2009. After years of renovation, the address now showcases the brand's architectural ambition—an investment in luxury real estate and dream retail destinations that signals long-term confidence in London.
What makes the 166 New Bond Street flagship unique?
Paris-based studio RDAI, led by longtime Hermès collaborator Denis Montel, created interiors that seek what Pierre-Alexis Dumas calls a distinctly British expression of the Hermès universe. Visitors enter a labyrinth of 55 rooms connected by three lifts and four staircases, including a dramatic spiral staircase originally designed by Foster + Partners.
More than 50 artisans contributed handcrafted furnishings, decorative wall treatments, glasswork, and marquetry. Dumas personally selected 500 artworks for the space. Every category is represented: leather goods, silk scarves, jewelry, watches, homeware, and ready-to-wear.
How does the maison honor British culture?
Dumas said the project pursued two intentions. The first pays homage to British culture and 19th-century equestrian tradition that influenced the house. The second—and most challenging—was to bring Hermès soul into the historic fabric, from restored mosaics uncovered during construction to whimsical circa 19th-century street signage.
CEO Axel Dumas, who inaugurated the flagship alongside his cousin, told Robb Report the family worked from intuition rather than marketing strategy. "Pierre-Alexis and I are the sixth generation," he said, "and we bought this for the seventh generation."
What should first-time visitors expect?
Robb Report describes a labyrinthine world spread across five floors, where restored architectural details sit beside contemporary craft. Even casual passersby will notice how the maison adds lightness and joy to one of the world's most storied luxury corridors.
For London, the debut reinforces why Bond Street remains essential ground for fashion houses measuring permanence in brick, marble, and generations of know-how.