Founded as a leather goods company in the 19th century, French fashion house Hermes, known for its high-end bags and apparel, made $9 billion in revenues last year. Over the years, Hermes has also ventured into perfumes, watches, and most recently, NFTs for its coveted Birkin bags.

With almost two centuries of excellence behind it, Hermes is telling its story to consumers through exhibitions across the globe. It will now be hosting the fourth chapter of its Hermes Heritage cycle at the National Museum of Qatar, titled Once Upon a Bag. The event will take visitors to the brand’s origin and then explain how it shaped modern designs.

It will use theatrical scenography to depict parallels between 50 models and objects from Hermes’ Conservatoire of Creations and the Emile Hermes Collection. Scenographer Laurence Fontaine will work with La Piscine museum’s curator Bruno Gaudichon to create a narrative. The exhibition will focus on clutches, travel bags, and sports bags, starting with the Haut à courroies bag, first introduced in the 20th century.

Rare creations such as the Birkin Sellier Faubourg bag and the Kelly perfume will also feature at the exhibition.

Prior to this, the brand had organized the In Motion exhibition in Vietnam, where products such as goat carriages from Hermes’ archives were displayed. Visitors were given iPads to scan products and understand the intricacies of the designs.

The aim of Once Upon a Bag, to be held from May 28-June 11, is to deep dive into the label’s archives, and to highlight how bags at Hermès have transformed with the times and evolving societies.