Hermès Spring 2027 Is a Luxurious Meditation on Form, Function and Refinement

Form follows function, the architecture and industrial design principle that an object’s form should relate to its purpose, is a concept not usually applied to fashion.

This is primarily because fashion is, more or less, fairly obvious in that regard; a shirt, a pair of pants, or a dress is going to look at least somewhat like what it’s supposed to be. And yet, for Spring 2027 Hermès womenswear designer Nadège Vanhée turned this concept on its head, emphasizing the possibly of multiple functions within a single form, while accentuating the inherently architectural nature of modern womenswear.

The Ready-to-Wear: Bringing Reinvention from Seasonal Theme to a Meditation on the Self

While Resort 2027 was a season of reinvention, Spring 2027 expanded upon Vanhée’s vision of accessible silhouettes and exacting details, utilizing the variety of luxurious textures that Hermès is known for: leather, jacquard silk, and substantial hardware in both silver and gold.

She showcased the various textiles to their fullest effect, from the bouncy jangle of leather strips in a carwash skirt to the floating, billowy wispiness of a long silk coat as it floated behind the very last model in an airy wave of departure.

This continuing theme of reinvention was most notable in the many modular pieces sent down the runway: a coat that can convert to a jacket or vest; a long dress or skirt than can transform into a midi or mini; and various pieces that can be styled either narrow or wide.

With these pieces reinvention is not merely an aggregation of one’s daily choices, but itself becomes a meditation on the nature of the self and our perpetual reinvention and refinement; adapting due to one’s choices or from situations that are forced upon us. Reflecting daily realities, this is clothing that reinvents itself, and allows the wearer a choice of both form and function.

The Bags: Reflections Upon Reinvention Through Design

More bags than usual were on the runway for Spring-Summer 2027, and with some exceptions, many tended toward the more structured and/or constrained designs, which served to ground the RTW.

There was a variety of sizes for many of the bags shown, although the emphasis seemed to be on larger sizes. There was also an emphasis on style notes from a vast range of both new and archival designs, extending the theme of reinvention across metièrs. The designs included:

Returning Styles

• Bolide
• Etrivière Shopping
• Garden Party Voyage
• Le Petit Sac, which was first shown for Autumn-Winter 2026
• Plume
• So Kelly

Revived from the Archives

• The Atlas-inspired bag which debuted for Fall 2026
• Mangeoire, a design initially released in the late 1940s and reimagined for SS27 with a chunky metal handle
• The Polochon variation which also debuted for Fall 2026, which has a long adjustable shoulder strap, double zipper and lock
• Ring bag, another archive revival with a design dating back to the 1950s. This is a mini version of the Ring, with its signature closure and a long thin strap, so that it can be carried as a clutch or worn on the shoulder, cross-body, or around the waist

New Styles

A rectangular east-west bag with tall rolled handles and narrow leather panels running across the top of each side which extend past the end of the bag. The panels bear cords which are used to open and close the bag. The extended length of the panels suggest the east-west silhouette of the discontinued Paris-Bombay.

A small, soft bucket-style bag, similar in shape to the Trim, with a simple clasp closure.

An east-west leather tote bag similar in shape to the discontinued Whitebus, bearing the Goodlock/Sac Á Depêches hardware at the top, and with a rolled handle in the front and long soft strap in the back.

A canvas-and-leather shoulder bag with design influences from the Vespa (closure), Tsako and Picotin (shape and lock).

A tall, open bucket-style canvas-and-leather bag with a single shoulder strap going down the rear side and a large Clou de Selle closure.

A leather-and-open weave shoulder-carry beach bag with a cinch closure.

Images via Vogue Runway