Hermès Fetes a New Saddle Launch With a Stable-Set Party During the Hampton Classic
Before ladies promenaded the Avenues of Madison and Park with their Birkins, horses in Paris around 1880 strutted their stuffs with Hermès-made harnesses crafted by the then-fledgling leather goods maker operating out of 24, Faubourg Saint-Honoré. A lot has changed with the house of Hermès (a global expansion and notorious waitlists for their most popular styles), but what hasn’t changed is the heady equine heritage of the brand. This was on full display at Hermès’s Friday night summer cocktail party, which was hosted during the Hampton Classic at the stables of Deslauriers Farm in Watermill, New York—the estate owned by husband-and-wife Grand Prix riders Mario and Lisa Deslauriers.
The reason for the gathering? To introduce the showjumping Selle Faubourg saddle—the latest of Hermès’s saddle line (the first came in 1968 and was designed for American rider American Bill Steinkraus). In attendance was a noteworthy list of guests, many of whom were just off the field of the Classic.
“Horses were the first customer of Hermès,” says Diane Mahady, President, Hermès. “What better way to celebrate our partnership with the Hampton Classic at this beautiful farm of one of our young talented partner riders, Lucy Deslauriers, and her family.”
Dressed in a summery white dress, Lucy, a mere 21 years old and already a champion rider, spoke of her relationship with Hermès, which on this particular night, ran deep. “They painted our stables red!” she remarked of the nearby structure which served as the party venue. Like any Hermès production, no detail was spared: handsome waiters dolled out glasses of Champagne and rosé; a raw bar was neatly arranged with lobster claws and ceviche; and an AirStream was stocked with sliders and lobster rolls. The stables were freshly splashed with a rouge the same hue as the leather used on the Selle Faubourg saddle, which was displayed on a platform at the center of the party. Even the photo opp was built to resemble show jumping hurdles shaped into the letter H.
From the equestrian world, Alexa Pessoa, Jessica Springsteen, Joey Wölffer, and Hannah Selleck were all in attendance. (Selleck remarked on how much she adored her own Hermès saddle; “I don’t want to ride it in the rain!”). But there was also a very heavy fashion contingent gathered at the fete—designers Joseph Altuzarra, Reed Krakoff, Rebecca Minkoff, Tanya Taylor, Marina Larroudé, Jennifer Fisher, and Aerin Lauder were all present alongside the likes of Brooke Shields, Katie Couric, Nicky Rothschild.
At the event, both equine novices and experienced riders could marvel at the engineering of the new saddles; a craftsman was on hand, placing his finishing touches on a Selle Faubourg. Years in the making, the Selle Faubourg saddle marries craftsmanship, innovation, and heritage, with that Hermès je ne sais quoi. Each saddle is bespoke, custom to its horse and rider. Fitted via measurements taken in a digital scan (dubbed the Equiscan), the saddle is crafted to ensure the utmost comfort for the horse. Its tree (the internal skeleton of the saddle) is constructed of beech wood (in lieu of polycarbonate) as the natural material ebbs and flows more seamlessly with the horses’ movement. All these modifications are made per research sourced, almost literally, straight from the horse s mouth—from feedback and consultation with some of the world s best dressage riders and show jumpers. Informing this particular new design was Jérôme Guéry, champion rider and Hermès partner (one of 15) since 2016.
As the sun set, partygoers luxuriated in the cool summer night air. In that moment, summer’s end was palpable, but leaving it behind at an Hermès party helped soften the blow—especially with DJ Lina providing the musical backdrop.
Neil Rasmus/BFA.com1/30Mario Deslauriers, Lisa Deslauriers, Lucy Deslauriers, Jack Deslauriers
Neil Rasmus/BFA.com2/30Joseph Altuzarra
