It’s March (otherwise known as Month Three of the Monsoon Season in England). On my daily stroll to the Harrys of London office through the gentile streets of Mayfair, I often pass the offices of Sunseeker yachts and gaze longingly at the sleek new models on display, wishing I were someplace warm – and not shivering out on the rainy streets under my ubiquitous James Smith umbrella (a rain-soaked Barbara Stanwick in Stella Dallas watching her daughter’s wedding through the hotel window comes to mind).
It’s that little glimmer of future reward that keeps me inspired to get out of bed every day. Its the proverbial carrot in front of my nose – the little electronic bunny leading me around the track. Call me selfish, but after years of living in large cities and enduring hectic international travel in service of the firm – what could be more pleasant than ‘retiring’ out on to the seas where you can only be reached by a tender or helicopter? Bliss in my opinion. I clearly understand the lure of the yachting lifestyle despite the exorbitant cost.
In recent months however, my quaint allegiance to Sunseeker has shifted. I have been seduced by a rival and fell willingly into their arms without hesitation. Hermes and Wally yachts had announced their new collaboration on the new WHY yacht concept that would combine the unquestionable taste of Hermes with a revolution in sustainable yacht design based on comfort rather than speed. I was hooked.
Hermes Artistic Director, Pierre-Alexis Dumas was quoted as saying that, except in the case of aircraft, “speed as an aesthetic is passé”. He questioned when we now have time to think. “Time like this is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. If we don’t think, we alienate ourselves in a dangerous way. Going slow is a natural reaction to the artificial speed of light we created.” One journalist observed “He could be reading from the Slow Food manifesto.”
Per usual, Monsieur Dumas was speaking directly to me as I am somehow no longer in a hurry to go anywhere fast these days and definitely prefer my thoughts and my food at a slow and simple pace.
I began to hatch my plan. I had found the inspiration to keep going through even the darkest days of my (sometimes stressful) existence as a master cobbler. I would conquer the world One-Kudu-Loafer-at-a-Time and save my pennies for a WHY. Imagine the stares of jealousy as I (slowly) cruised into the Marina Piccola in Capri with barely a wake behind me and the long (slow) journey to exotic ports of call surrounded by such quality craftsmanship!
Unfortunately, my dreams are dashed. It was announced yesterday that Hermes has decided to dissolve it’s venture with Wally due to issues with further investment in the project. Seems the yachting lifestyle is a bit of a reach for even the likes of Monsieur Dumas. Wally will continue to develop the concept and somehow Hermes will still collect a percentage of the sales through 2020…but I doubt the furniture will be as nice.
HARRYS OF LONDON PROUDLY SUPPORTS
