Thierry Hermès was born in Krefeld, Germany, to a French father and a German mother.

The family
moved to France in 1828.[4] In 1837, Hermès first established a harness workshop in the Grands
Boulevards quarter of Paris, dedicated to serving European noblemen.[5][6] He created high-quality
wrought harnesses and bridles for the carriage trade, [7] winning several awards including the first
prize in its class in 1855 and again in 1867 at the Expositions Universelles in Paris. [7][8]
Hermès's son, Charles-Émile,[4] took over management from his father in 1880 and moved the shop
to 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where it remains. With the help of his sons Adolphe and Émile-
Maurice, Charles-Émile introduced saddlery and started selling his products retail.[7] The company
catered to the élite of Europe, North Africa, Russia, Asia, and the Americas. In 1900, the firm offered
the Haut à Courroies bag, specially designed for riders to carry their saddles with them.