Hermès has joined the growing list of luxury labels that’ve incorporated fungus into their offerings.
According to an exclusive Business of Fashion report, the French fashion house is set to release a reworked, more sustainable version of its Victoria travel bag. The upcoming design will reimagine the accessory in canvas, calfskin, and Sylvania materials; the latter of which was created in partnership with MycoWorks, a California-based startup that specializes in alternative textiles. Sylvania is made from MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium, a patented cultivation process that uses fungi’s capacity to bind to itself and other materials, making it a viable substitute for traditional leather.
“MycoWorks’ vision and values echo those of Hermès: a strong fascination with natural raw material and its transformation, a quest for excellence, with the aim of ensuring that objects are put to their best use and that their longevity is maximised,” Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas said via a statement. “With Sylvania, Hermès is at the heart of what it has always been: innovation in the making.”
MycoWorks reportedly began collaborating with Hermès about three years ago, exploring the ways they could improve their sustainability practices without compromising the quality and durability of the high-end goods. Mycelium is also considered to be much more eco-friendly than plastic-based faux leather, as it is made from organic material rather than petroleum.
The new Victoria bag will mark its first object made with Fine Mycelium; however, Hermès reassured its customers that it will continue to offer its designs in “more classic materials.”
“MycoWorks’ vision and values echo those of Hermès: a strong fascination with natural raw material and its transformation, a quest for excellence, with the aim of ensuring that objects are put to their best use and that their longevity is maximized,” Dumas said. “With Sylvania, Hermès is at the heart of what it has always been: innovation in the making.”
The bag will reportedly be available at the end of year.
