By WONG YUN WEN

The prestigious French fashion house’s seasons offerings this year retains much of its signature elegant style, perfected with heavy emphasis on leather, thanks to its equestrian heritage.

The Objets Printemps Spring-Summer 2009 collection pairs elegance with nomadic style, with two collections Downtown and Country Lanes capturing the essence of a wayfarer with travel adventure inspired designs.

The Downtown series oozes high-fashion style true to its name, featuring streamlined and classy designs like that of the Yohji 38 bag in Clemence taurillon calfskin in a joint design effort with Yohji Yamamoto.

Fans can also look forward to the Pursangle 35 made from the same soft leather, bulked with pockets for a chunkier silhouette or opt for an edgier look with the series’ crocodile skinned clutches.

Ladies have much to swoon about this season’s shoe collection, with some truly unforgettable pieces like the sandal in metallic-effect Napa Calfskin - fashioned with Greek goddesses in mind.  Accessories in Downtown also tend towards the elaborate, drawing inspiration from exotic and far-flung places in the world.

The Extra-Wide bracelets, for instance, were in fact based on the wrought-iron balconies of Andalusia, and thus covered in tribal motifs.

Country Lanes consists of designs that are more upbeat, yet not losing the elegant splendor so familiar to the brand, with pieces such as the UL 53, which is essentially based on Hermes’ classic UL line, but reinterpreted in pop colors.

Of noteworthy is the range of footwear available for both men and women, with simple lines and designs fit for carefree summer escapades. In addition, there is an espadrille in woven lambskin, hand woven in crocheted soft – very bohemian.

No collection of Hermes would be complete without their trademark scarves. This time round, scarf designs similarly centered on the travel theme, achieved with motifs of Hermes’ equestrian logo which falls perfectly with the theme of this Spring-Summer collection.

Hermes