In 1837, French businessman Thierry Hermès founded the company that bears his surname as a harness and saddle workshop for European nobles. He could not have imagined that, almost two centuries later, this company would not only still be standing, but become a luxury fashion brand that sells its goods to international stars like Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore and Jennifer Lopez. The Hermès company has annual profits of €11.6 billion ($12,483,862,000) and is worth 202 billion on the stock market; it has brought prosperity to successive generations of the founder’s family for decades without attracting attention. Until now, that is. Nicolas Puech, a fifth-generation descendant and the company’s first shareholder, has announced that he wants to adopt his gardener and make him the heir to his fortune.
Categories