Hermès Women’s Autumn/Winter 2023 Runway Review: More Please!

Last week Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski sent another jaw-dropping array of clothes and accessories down the runway, this time for Hermès Women’s Autumn/Winter 2023. A highly-curated and well-considered array of options with very little to gloss over, this show was all style and all substance. Although I am a longtime fan of Hermès ready-to-wear and always find much to praise from Vanhee-Cybulski, there have always been at least a few looks each season which either go completely over my head or leave me wondering; not so this season.

A key element in the show seemed to be unity: bringing together contrasts in such a harmonious way that made everything seem complementary. Mixed textures; matte and shimmer; heavy and light; small and large; light and dark; feminine and masculine: all worked together not to highlight the differences of each piece but to enhance every piece within each look.

Of course, all of <em the usual suspects for the season were present: leather, fur, chain accents, belts, and knits. However, the presentation was both fresh and familiar (another complement!). Each new look seemed to flow from the one before it, complementing it, building upon the themes, utilizing well-executed and lush pieces, with some twists here and there, such as a detailed wrap neckline, a tied-back jacket, a wavy knit pattern, or beading.

Every look was finished with the same pair of shoes; this time, it was suede boots in varying colors. The use of one shoe style is not unusual for Ms. Vanhee-Cybulski’s shows; it emphasizes the shoe’s versatility for that season without distracting from each look.

Finally, there was an interesting selection of bags, including familiar shapes like the Bolide and the Birkin. Some of these were blended with something new, like a harness or fringe, and all of them, whether slung across the back or carried, seemed to be yet another layer or texture, another complementary piece.

Autumn-Winter 2023 Highlights

Colors

While heavy on the neutrals and earth tones typical for the season, the colors still had a bit of punch when executed in leather or appearing soft and pretty in shimmery silk. These included: bronze, cherry red, ochre, cream, copper, gray-brown, sienna, tan, black, khaki, taupe, butter, putty, burgundy, pale pink, and mocha.

Wrapped

The soft gather and drape of a wrap accent were featured in several looks.

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Layered

Layering was featured in most of the daytime looks, as is usual for a season with unpredictable weather…

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Mixed Textures

..however, beyond just the concept of layering pieces, the show presented many subtle, mixed-texture looks, such as striped cotton with wavy leather, a chunky knit over leather or silk, a matte piece with something sparkly or shimmery and different woven patterns paired together, all worn with the same tall suede boot.

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Feminine/Masculine

While there were some distinctly feminine pieces like dresses and long skirts, there were also a few subtle and not-so-subtle masculine influences.

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Details

Fun details included a necklace with a Kelly closure which also performed double-duty to tie back the bulk of a coat; various leather-inlay belts with chain details, jockey-style caps, leather woven into a knit, and Clou de Selle necklaces executed as a single large drop or multilayered with diamonds.

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Bags

There were several familiar styles, like the Birkin; this was shown pristinely in what appeared to be black Boxcalf with Gold Hardware and Chevre with Palladium, and also in what appeared to be Vache Naturel, Gold and Noir Togo and Noir Boxcalf with a harness (I am advised and am hopeful that the harness will be sold separately). There was also a stunning whipstitch-fringed Birkin in chocolate brown Barenia.

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There were also a large and a small Bolide in Veau Volynka.

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Additionally, there was the return of the Arcon, shown in Beton, Gris Tourterelle, Noir, and Barenia, which is reminiscent of the old Gao design and appeared on the runway last season.

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New styles include:

• The Sac Medor Bags: The Sac Mini, which is an hourglass-shaped bag reminiscent of the Toupet which was shown in either box leather and featuring the Collier de Chien hardware around the middle, or in horsehair and featuring studs around the middle. The larger and more bucket-shaped Sac So has the Collier de Chien hardware at the top of the bag and features a silk interior with a drawstring closure.
• An updated version of the Market Tote Bag, which now appears to be a bit more streamlined and proportionately taller, and with the cords now held together by H-hardware instead of a leather piece, shown in Gold and in Toundra; and
• A crossbody sling bag that matches one of the coats (I am advised that it actually unzips to become a sleeping bag).

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Of course, not all of the added bag styles are featured on the runway, and enticing glimpses  from the re-see include:

• Studded Constances and Mini Kellys;
• A Kelly Elan-shaped bag with a leather-and-chain strap;
• A strapless Kelly Danse-shaped bag with whipstitching and fringe;
• Kelly Wallets with contrast whipstitching and a wider strap;
• A Kelly with different leather inlays;
• The Kelly en Desordre;
• Padded Kelly with a cotton cover;
• A new version of the Colormatic-style Birkin, with both leather and felt;
• A Haut À Courroies with two front pockets and two front strap-and-turn-lock closures;
• Mini Shark Bolide;
• Bolide en Desordre;
• A simple shoulder bag with a matte CDC-style closure;
• A small fuzzy Chaine d’Ancre-style crossbody bag; and
• A new Cargo Picotin.

One interesting detail I noted when I zoomed in: