In the heart of Admiralty, Hong Kong, on the 22nd floor of a high-rise, Fifi sought solace and restoration at one of Hermes' 15 repair workshops. She carried with her a cherished Hermes handbag, a poignant gift from her mother, lost seven years prior. This wasn't just a bag; it was a vessel of memory, a tangible link to the past.
Enter Farid, a Hermes craftsman. With practiced hands and discerning eyes, he meticulously examined the bag, admiring its design and inherent quality. A remarkable coincidence then unfolded: as he delved into the restoration, Farid recognized his own handiwork. Fifteen years ago, in the Hermes workshop in Lyon, he had crafted this very bag.
"We are restoring the emotions carried within objects. These bags travel and live with us, and our lives leave memories upon them. Meanwhile, they subtly influence us," says the craftsman.
"Sometimes the restoration is successful, sometimes it isn't, but I always strive to do a little better. When the restoration is complete, the object is given new life," he adds.
Focusing on the theme of "repair", this is one story from the 16-episode series of documentary shorts Footsteps Across the World produced by French filmmaker Frederic Laffont for Hermes.
