Some of you may have read Jean Diwo’s book La Calèche, a novel based on the life of Thierry Hermès, founder of the luxury brand. It’s an unusual document, because Hermès rarely expresses its heritage in writing. A friend who works there told me the brand would never produce an official non-fiction book about its history. « We pass on the myth aurally, » she told me. « We tell people about it, but we don’t write it down. »” That makes sense: legends are shaped by being passed on as fireside tales from generation to generation.
Then came the interesting part. My friend added that Hermès has an in-house historian: a woman who is the guardian of all past and present knowledge about the company. She is the source of the legend, the oracle who passes on the myth of Hermès. I loved this idea. Now I think that all companies should have an in-house historian. After Steve Jobs, who is the guardian of the Apple legend? Who will be the voice of Paul Smith when he is gone? Having an in-house historian who can curate and preserve materials and events is an investment in the future. Heritage is a powerful branding tool, but it requires an access to the past. The brand historian is essentially laying down memories. But more than that, they are transforming a company from a cold commercial entity into a folk tale – something far warmer and far more powerful.
