The Hermès Sydney flagship windows, created in collaboration with Australian artist Troy Emery, are a striking example of Creative Direction and Styling in action, a discipline taught at the very foundation of the Bachelor of Design at Whitehouse Institute of Design.

At Hermès, retail windows are never just decorative. They are strategic storytelling platforms, merging brand heritage with contemporary artistic expression. From silk scarf flags to reinterpreted versions of the Haute à Courroies bag adorned with tassels and fringing, the installation exemplifies how styling and creative direction breathe new life into heritage.

This approach mirrors the very skills Whitehouse students begin developing in Trimester One of the Bachelor of Design. Each year, students are challenged to work with Hermès’ annual theme as the basis for their first major Creative Direction and Styling project. Just as Emery aligned his installation with the 2024 theme “In the Spirit of Faubourg,” our students are tasked with interpreting the Hermès brief in a unique and imaginative way, designing styled sets, visual narratives, and conceptual displays that balance both artistry and commercial intent.

Through this project, students learn to:

• Conceptualise Seasonal Narratives – Drawing on global fashion and design themes to shape creative concepts.
• Experiment with Materials & Textures – Just like Emery’s use of pompoms and fringing, students test unexpected materials to tell brand stories and sell product.
• Apply Styling to Real-World Contexts – Creating work that could exist in retail, media, or digital campaign settings.

By engaging directly with Hermès’ theme, students gain early insight into the discipline of Creative Direction and Styling as it is practiced by global luxury houses. This not only anchors their learning in industry relevance but also prepares them for careers where conceptual thinking, visual storytelling, and brand alignment are critical skills.

The Hermès x Troy Emery windows in Sydney are therefore more than an inspirational case study—they are a live industry benchmark that our students work alongside in their very first trimester, setting the tone for the creative, strategic, and professional practice that defines their Whitehouse journey.

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