Luxury brand Hermès is expanding again in France. The company plans to open a new leather goods workshop in Charleville-Mézières by 2027. This will be its 26th leather manufacturing site and the third one in the Ardennes region.
Eventually, this new site will welcome around 250 skilled artisans. They will be trained to make Hermès’ exclusive and handcrafted leather bags.
This workshop follows the success of two other Hermès sites in the Ardennes – one in Bogny-sur-Meuse opened in 2004 and another in La Sormonne opened in 2023.
Training for the artisans will take place at the Hermès School of Know-How, which has been operating in Charleville-Mézières since 2021. The school is also partnered with France Travail to support recruitment.
Because all three workshops are located close to one another, artisans can easily share their skills and keep traditional Hermès techniques alive, such as saddle stitching and leather polishing.
The new workshop will be built on the old Deville factory site, an important industrial space in the city’s history. Designed by Coldefy & Associates, the same architects behind the La Sormonne workshop, the project will blend old and new structures across 5,800 square meters.
The plan includes:
- Offices and a cafeteria in restored historic buildings
- Work areas for cutting, stitching, and logistics in a modern extension
- A central hall connecting the spaces
The building will will feature 1,400 square meters of solar panels, natural insulation materials like wooden frames and clay walls, and will connect to a renewable-energy-powered district heating network. It is expected to meet the E4C2 environmental standard.
The project also focuses on nature restoration. Around 8,000 square meters will be re-greened. This includes a 1,500-square-meter parking lot made with water-permeable materials and over 6,000 square meters of land planted with native trees and shrubs.
The riverside will be transformed with local vegetation such as willows, lime trees, white poplars, and flowering bushes. These green spaces will help with water drainage and provide seasonal color and shade.
