Pascale Mussard to remain on Emile Hermès board after departure from Petit h

By

Astrid Wendlandt

Published
Mar 2, 2018

Pascale Mussard will no longer have any executive role at Hermès after being forced out of Petit h, the company she created in 2010 that makes one-of-a-kind objects from unused Hermès supplies. However, she still holds some supervisory positions within the company, Hermès said on Friday.

A spokeswoman for Hermès, one of France’s oldest saddle and leather goods maker, said Mussard is a member of the board of Emile Hermès, the family holding that runs Hermès. She is also a member of the supervisory board of Hermès Parfums and vice-president of Hermès’ company foundation. She also remains president of the Villa Noailles, the landmark early 20th Century estate that hosts every year the International Fashion and Photography Festival in Hyères in the south of France.

Mussard was forced to leave on Jan.22 after Hermès imposed conditions on her that made it "impossible for her to stay," one source close to the company has said. She came to pick up her things from her office this week. 

Hermès confirmed her departure and replacement with young designer Godefroy de Virieu after FashionNetwork.com reported her exit and Virieu’s appointment on Thursday.

With her departure from Petit h, it looks as though Mussard, who has held several key roles at Hermès including head of communications and fabrics purchases, was pushed aside again by her cousin Pierre-Alexis Dumas, son of Jean-Louis Dumas, the company’s late charismatic leader, the source said.  Pierre-Alexis Dumas, already sent Mussard packing in 2009 after he took over the artistic management of Hermès which he had shared with her for three years. Mussard created Petit h after that difficult episode. Hermès and Pierre-Alexis declined to comment on the matter.

Mussard has been shocked by her forced departure from Petit h, the source said, and is planning to travel for several months to recover. 
 
“I am deeply touched by the faith Pascale has shown in me by passing me the baton of design,” Virieu said in a statement issued by Hermès. “I will continue to follow the course that Pascale has set with such dedication, talent and high standards: seeking out the expertise required to write new narratives, and to nurture and sustain them in this era.”
 
Petit h items such as leather bracelets, miniature planes and boats are sold at Hermes’ store on rue de Sèvres in Paris, and twice a year for short periods of time in new cities.  

In 2018, Petit h will take up residence in Lisbon from 4th to 15th September, and in Hong Kong from 22nd November to 15th December, Hermès said.