Hermès is turbocharging its famed leather goods division with a major factory expansion in France. Between 2025 and 2028, the house of Birkin and Kelly will open facilities in Charente, Auvergne, Gironde, and Calvados, reinforcing its commitment to “Made in France” craftsmanship while scaling up to meet global demand.
Ramping Up Production Capacity
The first two sites go live in 2025:
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L’Isle d’Espagnac, Charente: 250 artisans will begin crafting small leather goods and straps mid‑year.
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Riom, Auvergne: Another 250 positions are earmarked for handbag and accessory production in the Limagne et Volcans facility.
In 2026, Hermès breaks ground in Loupes, Gironde, with further details on staffing still to come. And by 2028, a brownfield site in Colombelles, Calvados, will employ 260 craftsmen turning out Kellys, Constances, and other icons from a former steelworks yard.
Hundreds of Jobs, Decades of Heritage
This wave of openings adds to Hermès’s decade‑long strategy of launching roughly one new workshop per year—now totaling over 24 dedicated leather‑goods sites in France. By mid‑2028, Hermès will have created well over 1,000 local jobs, reinforcing regional economies from Normandy to Nouvelle‑Aquitaine.
Each atelier follows the Les Ateliers Hermès model: mid‑size workshops where artisans oversee every step, from cutting hides to polishing hardware. Hermès also plans to extend its École Hermès des Savoir‑faire apprenticeship program into these new regions, training the next generation of saddlers and seamstresses.
Balancing Growth and Exclusivity
Hermès chairman Axel Dumas has repeatedly stressed that “demand exceeds capacity,” yet the brand resists mass manufacturing to preserve its aura of rarity. These strategically spaced expansions aim to unlock incremental growth—letting Hermès sell more Birkin bags without ever diluting the craftsmanship that commands six‑figure waitlists.
By doubling down on home‑grown production and community investment, Hermès ensures that every new Birkin or Kelly still bears the soul of French savoir‑faire—even as it reaches for new heights of luxury global presence.
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