The Greek island of Tinos was the setting for the new extravagant presentation of the new women’s watch by the luxury fashion house Hermes.
Instead of a lavish red-carpet show in a “fashion capital” like Paris, the designer house chose the Aegean island of Tinos. But not on a beautiful sandy beach but a place of harsh natural beauty: the marble quarry of Tinos. The uniqueness of the place is that at the bottom of the quarry, the sea has sipped in through the years, forming an impressive natural pool.
The event, in addition to well-known designers and models, was attended by members of the Dumas family – the billionaire family with roots in the island of Ithaca at the helm of Hermes – along with 60 high-ranking executives of the fashion house. Transportation to the event site was provided by 30 ultra-luxury limo jeeps rented from neighboring Mykonos.
Organizers and guests stayed on Tinos for two days where they had the opportunity to enjoy the beauties of the island. It is noted that in 2023 the house of Hermes, which attracts wealthy customers who are willing to dig deep into their pockets to acquire one of its rare bags and expensive silk scarves, presented an annual turnover of 13.47 billion euros while its net profit amounted to 4.311 billion.
The Dumas family, descendants of the founder Thierry Hermes, is among the richest in the world with a fortune close to 50 billion euros.
Tinos island: The hidden gem of the Aegean
Tinos is one of the most popular islands for Greeks in the month of August for the Church of Panagia Evangelistria (Our Lady of Tinos). The church dedicated to the Virgin Mary is built around the place where the holy icon of Her Grace was discovered in 1823. The symbolism of the discovery year meant that the Greek War of Independence was blessed by the Virgin Mary, therefore Greece would be liberated from the Ottoman yoke.
The Church of Panagia Evangelistria is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and was built right after the liberation. It was designed in the Renaissance style by local architect Efstratios Kalonaris and was inaugurated in 1830. Since then it has become the major Christian Orthodox pilgrimage in Greece, especially on August 15, when the Feast of Annunciation is celebrated. It is said that miraculous healings take place during that day every year.
For tourists, Tinos is a typical Cyclades island with crystal clear waters and sandy beaches. Only one hour away by boat from Mykonos, it is not glamorous like its neighbor but offers everything else a beautiful Cyclades island can offer to a summer visitor.