In 2011, the illustrious house of Hermès made an unprecedented bet in its history: it gave

carte blanche

to Cyril Kongo, a contemporary artist rooted in the world of graffiti, to design its autumn-winter collection.

The meeting of these two seemingly opposite worlds unfolded in an unexpected way. Just a year earlier, Kongo was painting in the streets of Hong Kong when a man, walking with his son, stopped to admire his work. The father asked if Kongo could paint his son’s cap, offering him a beer in gratitude.

This chance encounter quickly turned into an extraordinary adventure. The man turned out to be connected to Hermès and invited Kongo to design the window display for the Hermès boutique at Hong Kong airport.

From this improbable beginning, a unique creation was born—an object of exception that embodies the diversity of Parisian identity, merging the rigorous craftsmanship and prestige of luxury with the bold, alternative spirit of urban art.

Following this intervention, Kongo was invited by the Hermès design studio responsible for the iconic silk scarves to take on the challenge of reinterpreting the legendary square.