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OCTOBER | PAGE 20 | 2015 Hermès' STEP W hen it reopens Friday, November 20, the renovated and expanded Hermès boutique in Highland Park Village will make the most of Texas' abundant sunshine with a large skylight that floods both levels, and a monumental stone staircase that beckons dramatically to a new second floor. Designed by architect and artistic director Denis Montel of Paris-based RDAI, the former one-story boutique has essentially doubled its floor space to 8,370 square feet. Montel, who conceives all Hermès stores worldwide (including the new flagship in Houston that opens Friday, October 16, in the new River Oaks District on Westheimer Road), takes his creative cues from the luxury company's landmark flagship in Paris at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré by referencing historic design elements in fine stone and rich woods, along with sleek modern updates in steel and glass. The first floor, along with the staircase, is entirely paved in stone slabs from Trani, a seaport city in southern Italy known for quarrying special, fine-grained beige limestone, and a mosaic made from the stone is patterned after one at the Faubourg location. Both Texas stores have ample space to present all 16 of Hermès' product categories, including men's and women's ready-to-wear, handbags, silk scarves, fine jewelry, watches, belts, gloves, shoes, hats, fashion jewelry, perfume, small leather goods such as diaries and luggage, and equestrian clothing and leather accessories. Especially stunning is the iconic equestrian motif in the gold and diamond-studded Filet de Selle bracelet, first produced in 1927, and the Harnais bag, expertly crafted with hand-sculpted reliefs, visible seams and a strap that evokes a harness. Many of the leather pieces incorporate the hand saddle stitch for which Hermès has been known since the company's founding in 1837 as a saddle and harness maker in Paris. Finally, we'll be able to see and touch more from the Maison collection, including tableware from the Art of Living, and Hermès furnishings. A stunning but limited selection of furniture from the Les Nécessaires collection includes a classic leather club chair and floor and table lamps from the recently launched Hermès en Lumière collection. To celebrate the two new Texas boutiques, Hermès has reissued its Faune et Flore du Texas silk twill scarf, originally designed in 1986 by Texas artist Kermit Oliver and sold in limited quantities ($300). New scarves by celebrated young British artist Alice Shirley, who began designing for Hermès in 2014, reference classic English gardens, the poetry of William Blake and the highly colorful metamorphosis of Pegasus. Hermès, 421 Highland Park Village, 214.528.0197, hermes.com. With a newly renovated boutique in Dallas and a dazzling new flagship store in Houston, the French luxury house Hermès is having a très bien year. By Rebecca Sherman Pantographe desk lamp, $9,950 Faune et Flore du Texas silk twill scarf, designed by Kermit Oliver in 1986 and reissued for the newly renovated Dallas Hermès store, $300. Voyage en lkat large vase, $2,960 Les Nécessaires Table à cachette stool-table, $9,350 Voyage en lkat tea pot, $1,520 Filet d'Or bracelet, $3,575