While Hermès enamel bracelets and silk scarves might be the last thing you’d think of for a quick run to the gym, at HermèsFit, classes are merrily designed to fit this plot, giving visitors access to experience the brand’s lineup of accessories by breaking a little sweat.
Enveloped in the brand’s signature orange hue and printed motifs, the bespoke pop-up gym arrived in Jakarta for a 3-day stint at City Hall, Pondok Indah Mall (PIM 3) from 15 to 17 September after stopovers in New York, Paris and Bangkok.
On the schedule, classes range from kickboxing with bracelets and carré yoga with silk scarves, to hat balancing and stretching with belts. Make no mistake, while the idea of holding yoga poses with silk scarves or balancing an upside-down hat during the cat and cow pose may appear to lean towards amusement rather than exercise, one might find themselves struggling to keep up with the agile-moving instructors (also dressed head to toe in orange).
Like the instructors, most of the Hermès crew are easy to identify in their bright fit which makes them both stand out and seamlessly blend into the background at the same time. Making a point not to leave guests idle, those with no prior class bookings can head towards the weights wall, fitted with monogrammed barbells and horse-shaped dumbbells. A few steps away, slip on the boxing gloves and let off a few jabs at the punching bags vividly adorned in their scarf motifs for a little more leg and upper body work.
Every hour, dancers glide in choreographed motion from one corner of the room to another, incorporating the accessories into their moves. Signalled by a high-pitched whistle blow, every now and then the reverie of being in what feels like a Hermès doll house is broken by the ‘crazy minute’, cueing everyone to stop what they’re doing to follow along in the minute-long stretch or exercise drills.
After all that action, it’s only natural that the crowd would linger awhile at the cold-pressed juice bar for an energy boost before breaking away to play a friendly round of table tennis or pose for a few shots at the climbing-wall-slash-photo-stage. Come evening, artists and DJs draw the crowd to the boxing ring propped at the centre of the room for a session of dancing. Some would say it’s just a different form of exercise.
HermèsFit is open to the public and will run from 15 to 17 September. For more information and bookings, click here.
