THE HOUSE
Created in 1999, PIERRE HARDY is a Parisian brand, proposing shoes, sneakers and bags. It offers a contemporary and creative wardrobe with graphic and pure lines for men and women.
The work on shapes and volumes, the mastery of color and the revisited classics are the distinctive signs of the collections.
PIERRE HARDY styles are tools for expressing one's personality, the essential accessories of a silhouette.
THE DESIGNER
Born in Paris, from early childhood Pierre Hardy has two passions: dancing and drawing. He graduates from L’Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan with a degree in plastic arts. He joins simultaneously a contemporary ballet company where he learns the techniques of balance and movement of the body.
Pierre’s first step into the fashion industry is through magazine illustrations. Thanks to his drawings, he secures a position at Christian Dior where he designs their shoe collection, paving the way for his career.
In 1990, Pierre Hardy joins Hermes where he designs their women’s collection then moves on to the men’s collection. In 2001, Hermès appoints him creative director of the fine jewellery and “Haute Bijouterie” collections.
In 1999, Pierre launches his eponymous brand enabling him to experiment and find a new identity with graphic and innovative collections.
INSPIRATION
His collections reflect the constant quest for innovative creativity and contemporary elegance.
It's his fascination for cinematographic images, his curiosity for architecture, and his love of cars, movement and scenography that are constantly reinterpreted in his personal aesthetical approach.
« MORE THAN ANYTHING, IT'S ART THAT INSPIRES ME THE MOST BECAUSE IT'S THE ULTIMATE LABORATORY OF EXPERIMENTING NEW CREATIONS. »
DESIGN
« MY FIRST ACTION IS TO OUTLINE WHAT I SEE, ORGANIZE MY VIEW AND THE OBJECT. »
Drawing is always the first step of the creative process. It's the easiest way for Pierre to transcribe his ideas to see if they are valid.
MODELLING
Often enough, a sketch is sufficient to be redrawn in 3D and transformed into a first prototype.
Sometimes, the design is directly reinterpreted into a model and other times, the 3D form is necessary to apprehend the volumes and pattern placements.
It is then necessary to adapt the forms to the models (made of wood or resin) by placing the lines and different shapes on the lasts.
HEELS
Heels can be considered as objects in their own. They're an essential part of the creation of the shoe — they determine the arch, the height, the proportion, the balance and the overall silhouette of the model. They are sculpted like miniature statues to be then used as the final moulds.
They find their true meaning when associated with the arch and volume of the final shoe.
FIRST PROTOTYPE
With all these elements, graphics and volumes, a first prototype is created.
Several lines can be changed, the cleavage adjusted, the straps repositioned and the proportions restructured and rebalanced for a perfect fitting.
This graphic outline is one of our visual identity key values.
MATERIALS, COLOURS
The final step is to decide on the choice of materials and colours, which brings the model to life. The creative form is shaped with the different materials, leathers, solid or playful patterns.
By playing around or harmonising the colour schemes and different materials we work to create a stylish and innovative shoe.
