Jean-Louis Dumas
Jean-Louis Dumas | |
---|---|
Born |
Jean-Louis Robert Frédéric Dumas 2 February 1938 Paris, France |
Died |
1 May 2010 72) Paris, France | (aged
Nationality | French |
Alma mater | Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris |
Occupation | Businessperson, artistic designer |
Employer | Hermès chairman and design chief |
Board member of | Hermès |
Jean-Louis Robert Frédéric Dumas (2 February 1938 – 1 May 2010) was a French businessman who was the chairman of the Hermès group from 1978 until 2006. He also served as the company's artistic director.[1] Dumas is credited with turning Hermès into a global luxury brand during his tenure as chairman.[1]
Early life and education
Jean-Louis Robert Frédéric Dumas was born in Paris, France on 2 February 1938. He also used the last name Dumas-Hermès. His father was Robert Dumas, while his mother was one of Émile-Maurice Hermès' four daughters. Dumas' grandfather Émile-Maurice Hermès had been a grandson of Thierry.[2] Dumas attended the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, also dubbed Sciences Po.[2] He also traveled in Iran, Afghanistan, and Nepal in a Citroën 2CV.[3] After then traveling Scandinavia and Czechoslovakia while the drummer of a jazz ensemble, Dumas was sent to Algeria to perform his compulsory military service.[2]
Career
In 1963, Dumas entered Bloomingdale's buyer-trainer program in New York.[2] In 1964, he joined Hermès,[2] which his family had founded in 1837.[1] Dumas later became CEO of the Hermès Group[2] and served as the company's artistic director.[1] His father died in 1978, and Dumas became chairman.[2] Expanding into the United States and Asia,[2] he turned Hermès into a global brand after taking in the chairmanship, adding interests in Jean-Paul Gaultier and the Leica camera maker to the company.[1]
In the 1980s Gaultier was working on fashion design in Paris, with Belgian designer Martin Margiela working as his design assistant from 1984 until 1987.[4] He took the company public in 1993, with around 3/4ths of the company remaining family-owned.[2] Jean Louis-Dumas retired as the chairman and artistic director of Hermès in January 2006 due to declining health.[1] He was replaced in the position by his son Pierre-Alexis Dumas.
Family and death
His wife Rena (née Gregoriadès) Dumas (1937–2009) was a Greek-born architect who founded Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure in 1972 in Paris.[5][6] They married in 1962.[2] Pierre-Alexis Dumas is their son,[2] while their daughter Sandrine is a film actress.[2]
Jean-Louis Dumas died in Paris on 1 May 2010, at the age of 72.[1] He took photographs throughout his life, and in 2008, Steidl published Jean-Louis Dumas: Photographer, a collection of his photographs.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Longtime Hermes luxury group boss dies". Agence France Presse. The Independent. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 William Grimes, "Jean-Louis Dumas, Chief of Hermès, Dies at 72, The New York Times, 3 May 2010
- ↑ Horwell, Veronica (10 May 2010), "Jean-Louis Dumas obituary", The Guardian
- ↑ Leaper, Caroline (15 October 2012), "Martin Margiela", Vogue, retrieved 25 September 2015
- ↑ "Dumas, Rena" in Mel Byars, The Design Encyclopedia, New York City: The Museum of Modern Art, 2004
- ↑ Suzy Menkes, "Rena Dumas:Interior Design with a Soft Touch of Simplicity: from Greece, a Heritage of Light, The New York Times, 12 September 2000
Further reading
- "Jean-Louis-Dumas Biography". Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. 16 June 2010.
- "Jean-Louis Dumas Obituary", The Telegraph, 3 May 2010
- Milligan, Lauren (4 May 2010), "Dumas Dies", Vogue
- Childs, Martin (31 May 2010), "Jean-Louis Dumas: Businessman who transformed Hermes into one of the world's leading luxury brands", The Independent