PIERRE HERME PARIS will be selling "Ispahan" cakes in special packaging designed by Hara Kenya for a limited time starting from August 30th. A party to celebrate this collaboration and the release was held at Pierre Herme Paris Aoyama on the 29th.
Ispahan, Pierre Herme Paris' signature cake, is a striking masterpiece with its exquisite pinkish red hue and beautiful appearance garnished with rose petals. The special packaging designed by Hara that encases the cake is pure white and features smooth curves like whipped cream. "When I heard about the collaboration with Pierre Hermé, the genius confectioner known as the 'Picasso of the patisserie world,' I felt it was a mysterious offer. Captivated by the passionate red cake "Ispahan," I created three dedicated containers. My proposal to commercialize all three patterns was realized. The prototype was made from clay, and the work was intuitive and sensual, requiring only my hands and fingertips to decide," Hara said. Regarding the idea of placing a red cake in a white container, Hara said, "Hermé emphasizes the red. On the other hand, for me, 'white' evokes a sense of excitement on a completely different level, and I believe it plays a vital role in making the design stand out vividly. In other words, red is France, and white is Japan. This time, it's me and Hermé, a kind of collaboration between Japan and France." This collaborative packaging was previously sold in Paris in February of this year, with a limited run of 1,500 pieces, and was a huge hit. "I'm very happy that my desire to somehow bring it to Tokyo has finally come true," Hara said with delight.
Hara says he has work requests booked up until 2015, and when asked about his future aspirations, he said, "One day I would like to take on the design direction of a top-class hotel in a remote area like a peninsula in Japan. I would like to create from scratch a space that combines architecture, food, interior design, and everything else, and serves as a place for various types of communication." "At Pierre Hermé Paris, we believe that if our staff aren't having fun, we can't provide our customers with good products. This is why, over the past 15 years and for the next 300 years of the brand's history, we've organized various collaborations and events to satisfy our customers," said Richard Ledu, head of Pierre Hermé Paris's Asia branch. "Once we propose a collaboration, we don't interfere at all, out of respect for our partners. Mr. Hara is a master of design, so we left it to him with confidence. The packaging is simple yet beautiful, using paper that evokes Japanese culture." The collection, signed and numbered by Hara, will be on sale at Pierre Hermé Paris Aoyama until October 2nd for 1,750 yen per set. The collection will be displayed in a showcase designed by Hara. The collection will also be available at Pierre Hermé Paris Matsuya Ginza for one week only, from September 9th to 15th.
