The story behind Hermès orange: the symbol of luxury in a colour
No matter what your favorite color is, it's very likely that no shade will make your heart beat as much as the iconic orange by Hermès.
The orange signature is so deeply intertwined with the luxury Maison and present in the hearts and minds of collectors, that it is hard to believe that the brand's packaging has not always been the same. Not everyone knows that the choice of this color was born because of theUnpredictability of history And today it is a distinctive symbol of the Maison French, like its iconic bags. So let's explore the whole story of the Hermès orange box and how it came to represent the Eternal quality.
From the 20s to the 40s
In the 20s, the Hermès box was designed to resemble pigskin in a cream shade with a logo and a gold foil border. In the mid-30s, the color of the box was updated to an intense mustard with dark brown edges and logo all made with fake boar skin.
When World War II began in 1939, Europe was difficulty in obtaining different raw materials. Everything from sugar to silk to steel became terribly scarce and often rationed. The shortages were extensive in war-torn France and seemed to have an impact on every aspect of life and business, including of course the packaging available to the design house Hermès.
In 1942, Nazi-occupied France could no longer procure fake boar skin for Hermès packaging. Cardboard boxes could still be found, but cream and mustard dyes were no longer available. The only color that the supplier in question could procure turned out to be a deep orange. The Hermès orange box was therefore born out of discomfort and necessity and has grown to quickly become recognized as a symbol of ultra-luxury.
History of the classic orange box by Hermès
In the wide range of Hermès colours, the iconic orange is represented with the Color code 93. The shade is bright and clear, full of energy and verve. In 1949, the tape Bolduc dark brown has been added to Hermès' orange boxes, adding the final and dare we say perfect touch to the House's packaging. Until 1996, other products, such as Hermès jewelry and tableware, were available in different colour packages: grey for jewellery and green for tableware. Today, however, everything the design house offers, from luxurious Hermès bags to silk scarves, arrives in the iconic orange box.
Today the packaging is made entirely with Ecological raw materials, including pollution-free water-based ink. And the tissue paper that covers the boxes is produced exclusively from sustainably managed forests and obtains Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
Fun fact: there are about 188 different sizes of Hermès orange boxes, from the smallest used to make scarves to the largest ones for Birkin 40s and beyond.
The psychology of the color orange by Hermès
The orange color combines the Strength and passion of red with sunny joy and optimism of yellow. Hermès orange is the colour of adventure and communication, self-confidence and enthusiasm. In color psychology, bright orange has rejuvenating characteristics and means shelter from pain and disappointment. Because of its close association with red, orange conveys meanings of joy, warmth, sunshine.
In some European cultures, orange symbolizes royalty. In Central and South Asia, it is seen as a spiritual color. In China and Japan, orange is associated with prosperity and good health. And of course, for fashionable women around the world, Hermès orange is an enduring symbol of impeccable style and boundless joy.
It is said that if orange is your favorite color, you are a force to be reckoned with, highly sociable and easy to talk to. It is a color uplifting, self-confident and intense, so this could be one more reason why our hearts leap when we see those iconic orange boxes from Hermès!
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