According to a report from Agence France Presse, luxury fashion brand Hermès is planning to temporarily shut down its production units in France due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. Approximately forty Hermès sites will be affected by this decision.
Despite recently announcing its strong performance for 2019, Hermès has deemed it necessary to close its production sites in France either partially or progressively in order to prioritize the health and safety of its 15,417 employees, 9,522 of whom are based in France. The closure of the stores in France and certain European countries has also been implemented in compliance with government instructions.
In a letter addressed to the company’s employees, Axel Dumas, the Managing Director of Hermès, explained that this decision was made in order to protect all employees. The closure will extend to all production sites in France as well as Hermès Horloger’s production sites in Switzerland until Monday, March 30, 2020. This closure will affect around forty workshops.
While the majority of the production sites will be closed, Hermès has decided to keep its perfume production unit in Eure operational. The brand has stated that the Hermès Parfums site in Le Vaudreuil has strict hygiene measures in place and cannot be interrupted. The company is even considering the possibility of using the Nouveau Comptoir de la Parfumerie to produce much-needed hand sanitizer for France, following the example set by LVMH’s Perfumes & Cosmetics Division.
In addition to the production site closures, Hermès has also announced the cancellation of its iconic equestrian competition, which was scheduled to begin on March 20. The event was set to take place under the glass roof of the Grand Palais.
Useful links:
1. Hermès Official Website
2. LVMH Official Website
