What You Need to Know
Hermès opened its first freestanding store in Beijing on April 2, 2026, representing its fourth address in the capital since 1997. Located in the Sanlitun district at Taikoo Li Sanlitun North, the new destination sparks a conversation between local cultural heritage and the creative spirit of Hermès while offering an immersive setting to discover the house’s sixteen métiers. CEO Axel Dumas said the opening was a deeply personal moment and fulfilled a promise to his late father Jean-Louis Dumas, who told him 30 years ago that Hermès must have a freestanding store in Sanlitun.
Rising as a free-standing structure, the five story glass building is wrapped in rose-pink and terracotta ceramic tiles. The façade designed by RDAI in collaboration with Mamou-Mani Architects functions as a semi-transparent veil, composed in a rhythmic sequence that balances opacity and openness, allowing the interiors to be bathed in natural light. The store draws inspiration from the nearby Forbidden City’s imperial architecture with its curved glazed ceramic roof lines, sunlit colors and depth of materials. Inside, the store’s open-plan layout centers around a majestic stone staircase that spirals upward with a design reflecting the arched forms and woven patterns that animate the facade. Commissioned work by Chinese artist Liu Jianhua includes a hanging installation of handcrafted ceramic petals and marble roundels which drops from the staircase’s summit. A special selection of objects featuring the Parade en Fanfare design by Chinese artist Ren Tong was produced to mark the opening.
