For its 2026 annual theme L’Appel du Large, HERMÈS commissioned Italian illustrator Carlo Stanga to create a series of drawings that form the visual foundation of twenty HERMÈS window displays across Germany. The installations translate the maison’s chosen theme into poetic underwater worlds filled with movement, imagination and exceptional craftsmanship.
Stanga’s distinctive visual language combines architectural precision with a lightness of narrative. For L’Appel du Large, he developed a series of maritime illustrations in which octopuses, corals, waves, shells and fantastical seascapes were transformed into elaborate three-dimensional window installations. The drawings serve not only as inspiration but as the conceptual and visual framework for the entire project.
Within the displays, the illustrations merge seamlessly with the featured products to create richly detailed stage-like environments. From ocean-inspired dreamscapes to sculptural paper constructions, the installations take visitors on a visual journey through the depths of the sea – perfectly reflecting this year’s HERMÈS theme.
Speaking about the project, Carlo Stanga says: "I was delighted to be invited by Hermès to interpret L’Appel du Large, the theme chosen for 2026. My drawings shaped twenty Hermès window displays across Germany, from Berlin (KaDeWe) to Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. My thanks to Vera Paumen for her support throughout the project."
With L’Appel du Large, HERMÈS once again highlights the importance of illustration within its international visual merchandising projects, relying on the unmistakable imagery of Carlo Stanga, whose work regularly moves between illustration, architecture, design and urban storytelling.