Today, we went to Hermes. We had the privilege of seeing the store before it opened. It was absolutely amazing. Before I went to Hermes I thought the brand was just another very expensive, posh store, but after I came to appreciate Hermes because of its high standards and values.
Hermes started out as a small boutique for jockeys to purchase saddles and jerseys. Little by little the small boutique expanded. They started selling other items such as bikes, shoes, bags and scarves. Even though Hermes added new items to their inventory, they still made the traditional leather saddles and silk jerseys. Our guide in the store told us that Hermes values time, quality, and craftsmanship. They all link together to create the perfect product. In other words it takes time to find materials of good quality. After these quality materials are found, a product is crafted and in a way comes to life! Now when I think of Hermes I think of the time and effort that goes into making a scarf or saddle.
After our amazing visit to the Hermes store we went to a pastry shop/cafe called Laduree. Laduree is famous for its macaroons. The group had the opportunity to try these when we sat down for a very French tea at the cafe portion of the boutique. I really enjoyed this part of the day because it was a time to relax while becoming very immersed in French culture.
We left Laduree to take a walk around Paris. We saw the Louvre and we walked around an older part of town. There we looked around some shops and made our way to some beautiful garden where we ate lunch. After lunch we walked to the Gallerie Lafayette, which is a well-known shopping complex with modern clothes and other goods. Then we took the metro and a bus to return to Danilou.
Today I personally learned a lot about how France adjusts to the modern world while also maintains aspects of its past.
-Mira Gill
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