Famed French
luxury goods house Hermès has come out with the ultimate well-dressed gentleman's accessory – a valet stand in solid mahogany, fine leather and brass with ebony detailing.
The luxe piece, designed to accommodate a full suit of gentleman's clothing and accessories, is a limited edition re-issue of a classic item created for Hermès in 1930 by famed French decorator and designer Paul Dupré-Lafon. The original was sold by Sotheby’s at its Art Nouveau & Art Deco Design sale in Paris in 2007 for about $65,000, far exceeding its estimate.
The stand, with an Art Deco and vintage flair, features a calfskin hangar for a suit, a calfskin tray for one's watch and cufflinks, a mahogany shoe rack at the base, and brass hooks and rods for ties, belts and braces. At over $3,000 the luxurious item costs as much as a bespoke suit itself.
The valet stand was originally designed to take the place of a live valet of the Jeeves & Wooster variety who would assist a gentleman in getting dressed each morning.
