(photo © Hermes Paris)
Jean Louis Dumas
5th Generation
Jean Louis Dumas is born in Paris 1938 February 2.


He is the son of Jacqueline Hermes and Robert Dumas
and grandson of Emile Maurice Hermes.

1964 Jean Louis Dumas joins the company
1978 Jean Louis Dumas becomes president
of the Hermes company.

1978

The late 1970s are marked by
a world becoming more global
and more computerized.


1978 is a time full of changes at Apple and Sony
Apple Inc is 2 years old and
Steeve Jobs has just launched the Apple II computer.
At the same time Akio Morita, founder of Sony
is preparing
the launch of the Walkman.





Jean Louis Dumas is the key person
in the Hermes companie's post war development
transforming the firm
into a world fashion leader.

Times are becoming more global.

Jean Louis Dumas arrives at a Moment Hermes
is stagnating.
Other companies are more innovative
using newer materials and more innovative designs.
Annual sales are reported to be around 50 million $.

On his arrival come in 2 new designers,
Eric Bergére and Bernard Sanz and Eric Berggére.
They renew the apparel collection
and bring out unusuall new products
like python motorcycle jackets and ostrich skin jeans.

1979 he tired to get younger consumers interested in the Hermes brand.
A young, denim clad woman wearing a scarf by Hermes
was the center of a new much citizised
but noticed advertisement campaign.

1980 tableware became a strong money maker for Hermes.
Porcelaine and Crystal materials were added into the collections.

Jean Louis Duma's strategy to empower the brand
worked and 10 years after becoming CEO,
comapny sales had almost been multiplied by 10.

In the following years
Dumas concentrats to better control his distribution network
by reducing the number of franchises
and opening more company owned retail stores around the globe.


(photo shows Jean Louis Dumas in front of the Hermes store in Tokyo © Yoshikazu Tsuno)

Jean Louis Dumas has 2 children:
Sandrine Dumas (1963) ... Actress
Pierre Alexis Dumas (1966) ... Artistic Director with Hermes

2006 Jean Louis Dumas retires due to health problems
and is replaced by Patrick Thomas,
the first non family member to manage the company.

His Greek wife, Renée Gregodires,
interior architect for the Hermes stores
dies in 2009
He dies 2010, May 1.




Jean Louis Dumas was also a photographer