SAUT
HERMÈS
in partnership with HERMÈS
shot on location in GRAND PALAIS ÉPHÉMÈRE
on 35 MILLIMETER FILM
18th—20th March 2022
Horse jumping has a long tradition. For over 150 years horses and riders glide over walls and ditches or other obstacles. Skillful, elegant and precise. The origins date back to the second half of the 19th century. At that time, hunts on horseback were held regularly, which gradually attracted larger audiences. However, the events at that time were quite confusing for the spectators because a rider could only be seen for a short time and then already disappeared from the scene again. The solution? Competitions on small courts, which were artificially created specifically for this purpose—as it is still done today.
At the SAUT HERMÈS, the horses and riders don’t only jump over the classic walls and moats, here they fly over miniature reproductions of 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré or over the classic orange Hermès H. Quite typical Hermès. Classy, but always with a humorous twist.
The international horse show SAUT HERMÈS has been held annually in the spring of the year since 2010—a prestigiouse event that brings together the elite of international show jumping. With the first staging in 2010, equestrian sport returned to the Grand Palais: from 1901 to 1958, the Grand Palais was home to the Concours central hippique de Paris, a riding and driving tournament founded as early as the 1860s. In 2022, SAUT HERMÈS has been held on a temporary basis at the Grand Palais Éphémère.
Hermès has its roots in the equestrian world. The first Hermès harness can be dated back to 1837. „Even at this time, Thierry Hermès designed harnesses for the horse’s comfort. He did this in a voluntarily minimalist way, so as to reveal the beauty of the horse. This went very much against the grain at the time“, explains Ly Lallier, director of the equestrian métier at Hermès. After that, Hermès was equally dedicated to the manufacture of saddles. In the 1950s and 1960s, Hermès made the slimmest saddle, and they still make the best saddles today. Usually here they work closely with the riders and the welfare of the horse is the focus. „Our top priority is the horse’s comfort. All our saddles benefit from dual customisation, being made-to-measure for both horse and rider“, says Lallier.
The riders and their mounts have prepared for this moment with dedication bordering on obstinacy, constantly seeking to give the best of themselves. They will have to ride straight and high, unswerving, and at speed. The rules are clear, strict, and irrevocable: it’s the podium or back to the stable.
— Axel Dumas
CEO of Hermès
Although it is only a temporary location, the Grand Palais Éphémère, built according to plans by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte & Associés, presents itself in its best attire. Just as the name suggests (Éphémère means something like short-lived), the structure will be used as a venue for various events, while the historic Grand Palais is undergoing renovations. Overlooking the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais Éphémère unfolds with a wooden skeleton structure on the Joffre Plateau—and so it blends in quite beautifully with the historic area around the Champ de Mars site.
Similar to the central structural part of a church, a curved wooden skeleton spans the main axis across 145 meters, as well as the two transepts. It does not stand out from the landscape, blending almost smoothly into its surroundings; after all, it was important to Wilmotte that it not overshadows either the Eiffel Tower or the École Militaire. With its geometric plan and overall formal language, the Grand Palais Éphémère is of course directly reminiscent of the Grand Palais, the intended inspiration for the building.
selle rouge
Developed with Hermès partner rider Jérôme Guery, the Selle Rouge offers the lightness of a jumping saddle and the comfort of a dressage saddle. Its small integrated flaps and recessed blocks reduce thickness and bring the horse and rider closer together. Its original, visible assembly showcases know-how and exalts the materials. The name is a reference to the rouge H color, which, after constant oiling has become rouge sellier (saddlers red), which is warmer, darker and browner in tone.
The Selle Rouge is a deep-seat saddle that joins our collection alongside the Hermès Cavale, our semi-deep-seat saddle, and the Hermès Vivace, which has a flat seat. The design was completely reworked and optimised, from saddle tree to assembly.
— Ly Lallier
Director of the equestrian métier at Hermès
