Saint-Louis

Long before the name Saint-Louis crystal became establish in the very select circle of haute cristallerie, glass already held sway in the Bitche region… In this northern part of the Vosges, which lent itself to alchemy and dreaming, everything was available to make the mystical union of sand and fire possible. Saint-Louis crystal was respected and valued throughout the world, admired in upper-middle-class dining rooms and imperial palaces, in the privacy of bedrooms and at presidential banquets alike. In the high-society circle, the idea of a different glass for every wine had great appeal, and the custom of using a set of drinking glasses at table, introduced by Saint-Louis in 1830, caught on in no time. Alongside flower arrangements, lighting and fine food, the art of living with crystal flourished in all its splendour. From the Restoration to Modernism, via Napoleon the Third, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, Saint-Louis drew the very essence of its identity from the great decorative arts movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, contemporary design is opening the way to new possibilities in form and function: with the Bubbles service, a future bestseller designed by Teleri Ann Jones, Saint-Louis enters the age of design. Cosmos by Olivier Gagnère in 1998, Extravagance in 2004 and Flamboyance in 2006 by Hilton Mc Connico and Excess by Hervé Van der Straeten in 2007 follow.

In 1989, Hermès acquired Saint-Louis, sparking a meeting of two worlds in which a high level of craftsmanship and a love of tradition unite people and provide their motivation. In 1995, Hermès became Saint-Louis’ majority shareholder, giving new and creative impetus to the undisputed renown of this prestigious concern led by its visionary chairman, Jean-Louis Dumas.