The recent Apple event announcing a suite of new products, as well as updated versions of existing products, certainly captured the attention of fans and foes of the brand. While there were a handful of announcements that set the internet ablaze, it was an interesting and somewhat unexpected partnership that really got The O Group office buzzing.
I’m talking about the Apple Watch Hermès, a collection that combines Apple’s innovative smart watch with the sophisticated styling of one of high-fashion’s most respected heritage brands. According to representatives for both brands, the partnership is a marriage of design philosophies that are more similar than one might think. Said Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès’ executive vice president in charge of artistic direction, “At Hermès, we strive to provide our clients with elegant, creative and functional objects for their everyday lives. What more contemporary and relevant expression of this principle could there be than this collaboration with Apple. We are strongly united by the same deeply held ideas and principles.” This partnership shouldn’t have come as a surprise to many, as the conversation about the Apple Watch’s place within the luxury category has been bandied about for a while now. Despite serving as a piece of technology, many consider the Apple Watch to fall squarely in the luxury space because of its desirability, and the fact that it comes from a brand that has expertly blurred the lines between form and function.
THROW IN ITS PRUCE POINT AND THE ARGUMENT AGAINST THE WATCH’S STATUS WITHIN THE LUXURY CATEGORY REALLY BEGINS TO APPEAR OFF-BASE
Now that Apple has a highly-respected fashion house in its corner, the brand has firmed its place within the luxury category. Combining its sleek design and interface with the lavish materials so often found in Hermès’ designs creates a symbiotic relationship that will undoubtedly lead to interesting partnerships between Apple’s competitors and the fashion world in the coming months. We’re excited to see what’s next