Homebuildlife: Festival des Métiers: Hermès craft processes on show

Imprimeur sur soie tools at Hermès Festival des Métiers

Running at London's Saatchi Gallery until Monday, the Festival des Métiers gives the general public to chance to watch master Hermès artisans at work as they make everything from printed silk scarves to luxury watches.

A silk artisan cuts strands of silk to create a bobbled texture on a silk scarf

Each artisan is positioned at their own workstation, so that visitors can move from watching a gemsetter setting a fine jewel to seeing how a leatherworker puts a luxury belt together or attaches metal hardware to an Hermès bag.

A maroquinier (leatherworker) at Hermès Festival des Métiers

While some of the processes on show are relatively common, they still prove magical to watch, and have been drawing crowds of curious visitors.

Silk screenprinting at Hermès Festival des Métiers

During Homebuildlife's visit, the biggest buzz was around the screenprinting station, where a silk scarf pattern was being printed with a rich green layer of ink.

The artisans working on-site include an engraver, a watchmaker, leatherworkers, a gem setter, a porcelain painter, twin-set linkers, tie makers and silk printers.

Leatherworking tools at Hermès Festival des Métiers

This exhibition is the latest examples of the movement towards Workshop events, where brands expose their production process to consumers to show off the craftsmanship involved.

Leatherworking tools at Hermès Festival des Métiers

Leather sections of an Hermès bag being glued at Hermès Festival des Métiers

Festival des Métiers runs at the Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, London SW3 4RY until 27 May 2013. Admission is from 10am-6pm daily, and is free of charge.