Hermès is celebrating the best of craftsmanship and creativity with its Petit h Souk in Dubai.
Located at the Maison’s Dubai Mall store the workshop brings life and meaning to unique, hybrid objects with a playful dialogue between object creation, the reuse of materials, and sustainability.
Petit h was established in 2010 under the creative direction of Godefroy de Virieu to showcase the art of creation. Here creation takes place in reverse because work here does not start with a preconceived idea or grand design, but with materials such as leather, silk, crystal and porcelain for which the other métiers have no further use, and with which artisans, artists and designers improvise by combining, assembling and altering them in a thousand and one ways.
The petit h workshop gives life and meaning to unique, hybrid objects whose aesthetics and function are faithful to Hermès’ spirit of ingenuity, high-quality materials and exceptional know-how. Its creations are as surprising as they are fun.
In Dubai, the petit h objects are staged in a space reminiscent of a souk. Designed by Emirati architect and designer Abdalla Almulla, it is infused with the architecture of these traditional places of conviviality and trade.
The earthy tones of its walls and floors and the openwork ceilings help diffuse soft light, minimise exterior heat, and create a welcoming atmosphere where visitors can browse, take their time and chat over tea. The colour palette of the petit h souk reflects the local terracotta, clay, fabric and wood used to construct it.
These materials were worked according to ancestral know-how, echoing the very essence of petit h, where ingenious objects are created from diverse and varied materials in often unusual combinations.
A falcon stand which combines terracotta with leather, porcelain and crystal, and an incense burner consisting of a fine terracotta dish elevated on a green and white crystal base are two examples of vernacular creations that pay homage to Dubai.
The Petit H Souk will run from 11 to 27 November 2022, at Hermès, The Dubai Mall.
