The sweep of leather, the warmth of polished wood and the discreet glint of brass give the Hermès Pippa armchair and console an immediate sense of purpose. Both pieces descend from campaign furniture, the ingenious folding furnishings designed to travel efficiently without sacrificing comfort or dignity. In the hands of Hermès, that utilitarian tradition became lighter, more tactile and exceptionally refined.
First introduced during the 1980s, the Pippa collection occupies a distinctive place in the history of Hermès furniture. Its folding structures reflect the house’s equestrian and travel heritage, while the precision of the joinery, leatherwork and metal fittings gives each piece the presence of collectible design. Pursuitist revisits the Pippa armchair and console to examine their history, current prices and lasting relevance in a sophisticated interior.
For buyers considering where to place a meaningful investment in Hermès home design, these pieces offer longevity, practical function and an identifiable design lineage. Their value begins with the pleasure of living with them. Any potential resale performance depends on condition, provenance, configuration and collector demand.
From Campaign Furniture to the Hermès Pippa Collection
Greek-born interior architect Rena Dumas established Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure in Paris in 1972 and went on to shape the architectural language of Hermès boutiques around the world. Working with designer Peter Coles, she developed the Pippa collection as an exploration of furniture that could fold, travel and adapt to changing rooms.
The collection drew from historic campaign furniture, whose collapsible desks, chairs and tables accompanied military officers and travelers. Dumas and Coles translated those mechanical principles into an exacting vocabulary of pearwood, maple, leather and brass. Early Pippa models emerged in 1983, and the collection was exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs in Paris in 1985.
The result feels remarkably current. Pippa furniture can be moved or stored with relative ease, yet every visible hinge and structural crossing contributes to the design. The folding mechanism supplies the collection’s visual rhythm.
The Hermès Pippa Folding Armchair
Current U.S. price: $27,700 as of July 2026. Pricing and availability may change.
The smooth resistance of taurillon Clémence leather is the first tactile impression of the current Pippa folding armchair. Hermès stretches the leather across a natural maple frame, using brass-finished fittings to articulate its folding joints. The chair measures approximately 33.9 inches long, 32.1 inches high and 21.3 inches deep.
Its silhouette recalls a director’s chair, a safari seat and the portable furniture of a well-appointed expedition. Curved supports soften the geometry of the crossed frame, while the broad leather back creates a generous visual plane. The construction remains legible from every angle, making the chair especially effective in open rooms where it can be seen in profile.
Earlier versions were produced in pearwood with natural cowhide, and vintage examples may differ considerably from the present Hermès specification. Buyers comparing new and secondary-market chairs should examine the wood species, leather, hardware finish, dimensions, markings and production period carefully.
How to Style the Pippa Armchair
The chair works particularly well in warm minimalism, contemporary Parisian interiors and rooms influenced by modern campaign furniture. Place it beside a low walnut table and a handwoven neutral rug, allowing space around the crossed frame. In a library, pair it with dark millwork, a compact reading lamp and a restrained collection of books or sculpture.
The natural maple and gold leather configuration can also sharpen a pale room with limestone, plaster or softly veined marble. Avoid crowding it between larger upholstered pieces. The chair has enough architectural definition to function as a freestanding accent.
How to Buy It Well
For a new chair, confirm the selected leather, wood and hardware configuration directly with Hermès. Delivery terms may differ from those applied to smaller home accessories. For a vintage example, request detailed photographs of the underside, frame, hinges, leather edges and Hermès markings. Leather stretching, stains, replaced fittings and refinished wood can materially affect desirability.
The Hermès Pippa High Console
Current U.S. price: $24,800 as of July 2026. Pricing and availability may change.
The cool click of brass fittings gives the Pippa high console a sense of mechanical precision. The current natural version is made in Italy from pearwood with a brass finish and measures approximately 48.6 inches long, 29.3 inches high and 13.2 inches deep.
A slender removable top rests upon a folding X-form base, giving the console a disciplined profile and a relatively shallow footprint. The design demonstrates the collection’s central idea with unusual clarity: mobility can be elegant, and a collapsible structure can carry the authority of permanent furniture.
Vintage consoles may appear in pearwood and brass or in darker lacquered wood with contrasting metal hardware. These variations can carry different production histories and should be evaluated individually. A stamped Hermès mark, documented ownership and original components strengthen the collecting case.
How to Style the Pippa Console
The console is particularly effective in an entry hall, drawing room or refined home office. In a contemporary interior, place it against limewashed plaster and add a single sculptural ceramic vessel. For a richer scheme, position it beneath framed modern art and introduce a bronze object or a compact leather tray.
Its shallow depth makes it useful in a Manhattan apartment, narrow corridor or dressing room where a deeper cabinet would obstruct circulation. The warm pearwood pairs naturally with oak floors, walnut casework, parchment shades and aged brass. Keep the arrangement edited so the folding base remains visible.
How to Buy It Well
Inspect the removable top for warping, scratches and edge damage. The folding base should open evenly and remain stable, while the brass fittings should correspond in age and finish. Ask whether the piece retains protective storage materials, documentation or an original purchase invoice.
When purchasing at auction, account for the buyer’s premium, specialist shipping and any restoration required. Measurements should also be checked against the intended wall because different Pippa console versions have appeared over the collection’s history.
Then and Now: How the Prices Have Changed
When Pursuitist first covered the Pippa armchair and console in 2011, their reported U.S. prices were $11,100 and $8,550 respectively. Those figures now serve as a snapshot of an earlier period in the Hermès furniture business.
By July 2026, the current Hermès U.S. prices had reached $27,700 for the Pippa folding armchair and $24,800 for the natural pearwood Pippa high console. The increase reflects more than inflation alone. Hermès furniture now occupies a more visible position within the house’s home collection, while historic Pippa pieces have developed an established presence in international design auctions.
Pursuitist Take, Why We Love It:
The Pippa collection expresses luxury through intelligence, proportion and material discipline. The armchair turns a folding frame into a sculptural gesture, while the console achieves visual lightness without feeling temporary. Both pieces connect the travel heritage of Hermès with Rena Dumas’s restrained architectural sensibility.
The armchair is the more expressive purchase and the stronger choice for a room that needs a singular focal point. The console is quieter and easier to integrate, especially in an entryway or compact urban interior. Together, they reveal how thoughtful engineering can become an enduring decorative language.
The Pursuitist Final Word
Choose the Hermès Pippa armchair for its commanding silhouette, supple leather and ability to anchor a reading corner or library. Choose the console for its versatility, narrow proportions and elegant folding geometry. Collectors should prioritize original condition, clear provenance and documented Hermès markings over surface perfection alone.
Decades after the collection’s debut, Pippa remains one of the most persuasive expressions of portable furniture in modern design. These are pieces conceived for movement and made to reward long ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the Hermès Pippa collection?
The Pippa collection was imagined by interior architect Rena Dumas and designer Peter Coles. Current Hermès product listings credit Rena Dumas as the designer of the individual armchair and console.
How much is the Hermès Pippa armchair?
Hermès listed the Pippa folding armchair at $27,700 in the United States as of July 2026. Prices and availability can change.
How much is the Hermès Pippa console?
The natural pearwood Pippa high console was listed at $24,800 in the United States as of July 2026. Other finishes and vintage versions may have different prices.
Is Hermès Pippa furniture collectible?
Pippa furniture appears regularly in specialist design auctions and is associated with a documented Hermès design lineage. Collectibility depends on authenticity, condition, provenance, rarity and the originality of the leather, wood and fittings.
