Apple tapped Hermes for Apple Watch collaboration before announcing device
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple design chief Jony Ive revealed the company reached out to Hermes over a potential Apple Watch partnership before the device was unveiled last year, a project ultimately undertaken by the French luxury brand's artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas.
While the Hermes Apple Watch was announced at Wednesday's massive "Hey Siri" event, both companies agreed to collaborate on the special edition last October before Apple publicly unveiled its first wearable, The Journal reports. Discussing new platforms with outside parties ahead of a formal launch is a rare move for Apple.
"It's something highly unusual for Apple to do -- to talk about an unannounced project," Ive said.
Perhaps more unusual, however, is that Apple is essentially allowing Hermes to appropriate Watch branding by emblazoning the firm's trademark on custom watch faces and silver strap buckles specific to the special edition. For the Hermes Apple Watch, Apple digitized three fonts Hermes normally uses on its own mechanical watch lineup.
"I've been at Apple 23 years and this is conspicuous and singular. I've never known anything like this," Ive said.
When it launched, Apple Watch was unique in that it was a device conspicuously devoid of visible Apple branding, even digital watch faces lack the familiar fruity logo (unless users add one in manually). It can be argued that Watch's design is an instantly recognizable, and is therefore a type of branding in itself.
For Hermes, a partnership of any kind is uncommon, though the company has an interest in staying relevant in today's tech-driven consumer market. And Apple is arguably one of the best at identifying trends and steering sentiment.
Detailing the Hermes edition Watch, Dumas highlighted the five distinctive color choices available to buyers. Ive and Dumas knew of each other's work prior to partnering, but Dumas singled out the bold the translucent iMac G3 with its bold colors as particularly intriguing.
The Hermes Apple Watch will go on sale at Apple and Hermes stores on Oct. 5, with prices ranging from $1,100 to $1,500. Three different leather band styles -- double tour, single tour and cuff -- will be available in both 38mm and 42mm Watch sizes.
While the Hermes Apple Watch was announced at Wednesday's massive "Hey Siri" event, both companies agreed to collaborate on the special edition last October before Apple publicly unveiled its first wearable, The Journal reports. Discussing new platforms with outside parties ahead of a formal launch is a rare move for Apple.
"It's something highly unusual for Apple to do -- to talk about an unannounced project," Ive said.
Perhaps more unusual, however, is that Apple is essentially allowing Hermes to appropriate Watch branding by emblazoning the firm's trademark on custom watch faces and silver strap buckles specific to the special edition. For the Hermes Apple Watch, Apple digitized three fonts Hermes normally uses on its own mechanical watch lineup.
"I've been at Apple 23 years and this is conspicuous and singular. I've never known anything like this," Ive said.
When it launched, Apple Watch was unique in that it was a device conspicuously devoid of visible Apple branding, even digital watch faces lack the familiar fruity logo (unless users add one in manually). It can be argued that Watch's design is an instantly recognizable, and is therefore a type of branding in itself.
For Hermes, a partnership of any kind is uncommon, though the company has an interest in staying relevant in today's tech-driven consumer market. And Apple is arguably one of the best at identifying trends and steering sentiment.
Detailing the Hermes edition Watch, Dumas highlighted the five distinctive color choices available to buyers. Ive and Dumas knew of each other's work prior to partnering, but Dumas singled out the bold the translucent iMac G3 with its bold colors as particularly intriguing.
The Hermes Apple Watch will go on sale at Apple and Hermes stores on Oct. 5, with prices ranging from $1,100 to $1,500. Three different leather band styles -- double tour, single tour and cuff -- will be available in both 38mm and 42mm Watch sizes.
Comments
Apple tamed herpes?
This corresponds to Tim Cook's "I don't see it that way," which he uses in interviews to slap someone down politely for trying the stupid view on him.
The stupid view is why Apple is still the underdog—on Wall Street, in the "business insider" press (WSJ, NY Times, etc.), among the geek hater throngs of the computer world, and I think among an alliance of sinister forces from Samsung to Gawker and lackies like Alex Gibney.
The stupid view floats on a mat of trash memes floating in the media ocean. Apple is only a marketing company, now a luxury company, sucking in enormous profits on the backs of Chinese children, and so on.
Sorry for the rant, but I know they're going to take some heat for this alliance with Hermes.
Does anyone know a way around the paywall?
This looks gorgeous.
Just cut and paste the article title on to the Google search field, and it will come up in Google News. Click on the link, and voila.....
(This is true of a lot of so-called paywalls.)
Drop the URL into a Google search.
The ?Watch box is the first time Hermés allowed another company's logo on their packaging.
I love this especially because it's driving so many people crazy. Like those people that think Apple is wanna luxury but not really a luxury brand. Well it's kind of hard to make that argument now that Hermés has decided to collaborate with Apple.
Weren't you the one quoting Jony Ive explicitly stating Apple was not competing with luxury watch makers? And slamming Huawei and others for going after the luxury watch market with pseudo-luxury-looking watch faces? But it's OK now that Apple is doing it?
Does anyone know a way around the paywall?
So you want to read the article but you don’t want to pay for it. Do you pay for the music you listen to?
Blocks ads AND refuse to pay for content, the new ethical norm.
Calm down. There's nothing illegal or nefarious about this, except in your mind.
The WSJ allows this to happen. Because they'd rather have the additional Google eyeballs, that's why. More hits, so the more they (WSJ) can charge for advertising.
Good question. I suspect Swatch was a company besides Hermés that Apple pre-approached. I hope this goes on to be something Swatch regrets passing on....
It's also amusing to me how Apple is not afraid (nor is Hermés) to allow their branding to be intermixed/used to appeal to the discriminating buyer... An Apple watch with the Hermés logo and a Hermés box with an ? logo... Plus the Hermés watch will be sold in the Apple stores!
Apple owns premium electronics, Hermès owns premium leather products (among other things). It is a match made in heaven. Neither of them is losing anything here.
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Only sad that they do not offer these bands separately. My desire to buy a second first generation steel Watch is not really there. Would not have bought mine if I had known this was coming.
I figure Murdoch owes me about $5 million in damages for mental suffering.
I figure Murdoch owes me about $5 million in damages for mental suffering.
To get around the paywall, click here, then click the WSJ link.
You can read any story on WSJ for free by searching Google News for the headline.
Good question. I suspect Swatch was a company besides Hermés that Apple pre-approached. I hope this goes on to be something Swatch regrets passing on....
It's also amusing to me how Apple is not afraid (nor is Hermés) to allow their branding to be intermixed/used to appeal to the discriminating buyer... An Apple watch with the Hermés logo and a Hermés box with an ? logo... Plus the Hermés watch will be sold in the Apple stores!
I don't see how the Hermes watch precludes any other major brand from customizing an ?Watch, unless Apple refuses them, and I can't imagine they would as ultimately it's in their best interest to expand their reach to as many luxury customers as possible.
Im not thrilled with how this watch is being branded, since Hermes is essentially adapting their existing band designs for the ?Watch, and Apple is adapting the Hermes watch face designs, yet Hermes gets sole branding on the watch face, as well as etched into the case along with Apple. So when the band is replaced with (PRODUCT) RED Sports band, and a Tapping Mickey face, the watch case still says Hermes, though it's otherwise no different than any other SS ?Watch. Not a huge deal, but I'd like to see some other customization of the watch itself for that kind of permanent branding on the product itself, like band-matching Crown dots, or custom finishes. It just doesn't feel like Hermes is really doing anything here, yet they seemingly get most of the credit in this partnership.
I don't frankly see why the watch has to be sold this way, other than the custom watch face itself has to be pre-loaded. Seems like Hermes and others could just sell the ?Watch bands in their stores. But I guess that's not how luxury is sold. It also means that in the near term, custom watch faces will be under the exclusive control of Apple and their preferred partners, which is something I've suspected since the beginning -- why charge for the milk if customers can get the cow for free.
Thanks!
And thanks again.
I am trying to understand your post. Seriously.
But I am having a very hard time.
I love this especially because it's driving so many people crazy. Like those people that think Apple is wanna luxury but not really a luxury brand. Well it's kind of hard to make that argument now that Hermés has decided to collaborate with Apple.
The ?Watch box is the first time Hermés allowed another company's logo on their packaging.
I think Hermès is the ideal partner for Apple. Most of their watches *are* square and their watch faces are simple and elegant.
Hermès watches are usually expensive because of precious metals, diamonds, fancy movements etc...
The AppleWatch replace all that with functionality and flexible design choices at a much lower price point.
Apple should stick with Hermès and their very elegant and simple designs.
Designs from Rolex or Tag Heuer would not be as compatible.
Since Tag Heuer went with Google & Intel, let's see how well the watch faces port over to Android 360.