Hermès Defends Its Name as Global Luxury Demand Surges
Nov/18/2025
Hermès has won an EUIPO opposition halting the registration of 'HERMÉS CLUB', with the Office ruling that the mark was visually and phonetically too close to Hermès’ famed house name and risked misleading consumers into assuming a commercial link. The decision arrives as the 187-year-old French luxury firm continues to parlay its equestrian heritage—rooted in Thierry Hermès’ 1837 saddlery workshop—into one of the world’s most powerful luxury portfolios. Now celebrated for its Birkin and Kelly bags, silk scarves, and ready-to-wear, Hermès generated €8.9 billion in sales in 2021, nearly half of which came from the Asia-Pacific region, and remains largely family-controlled under managing director Axel Dumas. With leather goods accounting for over 45% of revenue and iconic handbags commanding resale premiums averaging 26.7%, the company’s brand equity is both culturally and financially prized. Hermès’ successful trademark challenge underscores the strategic importance of protecting that value—especially as the brand expands globally, operates dozens of stores from Tokyo to the United States, and continues to invest heavily in craftsmanship, retail, and cultural initiatives such as the 'Saut Hermès' equestrian competition.
