In a new interview posted in the Wall Street Journal, Apple’s Jony Ive and Hermes’ artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas discuss Apple’s first partnership with a luxury fashion brand to create branded Apple Watch models. To recap, on Wednesday, Apple announced Apple Watch Hermes, a collection of watches code signed with the renowned Paris designer. The watches will be available in October.
Ive says the partnership is unprecedented and began before the Apple Watch was even announced to the public, breaking traditional Apple secrecy.
To make Apple Watch Hermès, Apple had to break some traditions. Mr. Ive approached Hermès about collaborating on a watch last year, before Apple had announced its first wearable device.
“It’s something highly unusual for Apple to do—to talk about an unannounced project,” said Mr. Ive, 48 years old. They decided to partner over lunch in Paris, where Hermès is based, last October.
The watches feature custom watch faces exclusively available to those models. The bands are only available when bought alongside a new stainless steel watch. Despite this, Ive says the partnership is not made to be an exclusive product. Ive says the Hermes watches have as much thought and attention invested as the cheapest Sport watches do.
“We don’t think in those terms,” Mr. Ive said in an interview Wednesday, after the Apple Watch Hermès was unveiled. “I’m not comfortable with words like exclusive.”
In addition, Ive says that the promotion of Hermes brand over Apple’s is unprecedented in Apple’s history. When the Hermes-exclusive faces are used and the Watch is being worn, there is no Apple branding whatsoever visible. Like other Apple Watches, there is a small Apple logo engraved into the back of the watch however — alongside the Hermes logo.
Allowing Hermès’ symbols to upstage Apple’s is a first, Mr. Ive said. “I’ve been at Apple 23 years and this is conspicuous and singular. I’ve never known anything like this,” he said.
The interview also says that Apple and Hermes are open to future partnerships but does not provide details. This could mean more Apple Watch variants as well as potential collaborations on other Apple devices, like the iPhone. There has been a lot of speculation recently that Apple will soon make ‘luxury’ iPhones to match its wearable.
Ive calls out the Double Tour as his favorite of the new bands, which wraps twice around the wrist. Like any other product, there were problems to overcome. In testing, Ive says the second loop would slip on the skin and move underneath the Watch, obscuring the heart rate sensors. This caused the Watch to lock as the disruption made it think the watch was no longer being worn. The final watch designs include extra padding on the bands to stop them from slipping.
“We are a new tradition and an age-old tradition, and we meet at the center of the arch,” said Mr. Dumas, 49.
The Apple Watch Hermes collection is available from October, with prices between $1100 and $1500.
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The Hermes watch bands look great but an additional $1100-$1500? These are for people with money to blow!
First of all, the article never says that the price is without the watch. Also, if you think that’s expensive,you don’t know the normal Hermes price ranges.
actually the Watch with engraved Hermes logo on its bottom are included in the price
Check out a Hermes store next time you get the chance — you will see sweaters that cost $5000, boxers and socks that cost $500, and leather belts that cost upwards of $3000. This isn’t unusual at all for a brand like that. I wish we could get other (less exclusive and expensive) designer brands to partner with the AW like D&G, Prada, Gucci, etc. That was what I was hoping for all along actually. Even Michael Kors or Armani would be sweet.
Code signed? OOHH! Co-designed! ;)
HP iPod
Why is Ive working with a Dumass?
Looks like a poster for a comedy show
Two and a Half Ive’s
left guy looks massive. or right guy looks diminutive.
Like a broadway revival of Everybody Loves Raymond.
Very expensive for a stainless Apple Watch, even if it is a ‘Hermes’ special edition. I’m afraid I’m not too keen on pretentious snooty fashion brands. I don’t believe the quality of their products are significantly better (if at all!) over much cheaper, quality mass produced products from other less posh brands…the illusion of image!
“I’m not comfortable with words like exclusive”. Fair enough.
While talking about a $1500 wrist band with unique branding and watch face which most people will never be able to afford, not so much. From a guy that’s produced an absolutely out-of-reach Edition, it’s kind of embarrassing. While I’m an absolute Apple fan, these are the words that emanate from within a bubble of comfort that isn’t aware of–or has become completely disassociated with– its larger audience.
Observe the sideways tilt in “Jonny’s” posture. Probably gained from standing next to CNC machines waiting for them to complete their sequence. I knew an engineer with a similar daily work posture, he developed gout in his hip.
Partnering in douchebaggery
“I’m not comfortable with words like exclusive.” — Seriousy? Lol…