The Paris-based illustrator transformed Hermès’ ‘Venture Beyond’ theme into a technicolour underwater world where the sea becomes sky.
When you’re working with a well-known brand, it can sometimes be tricky to navigate legacy, tight briefs, and creative freedom. But when a brand like Hermès reaches out, you know you’re in for an exciting experience. The brand often calls on artists to reimagine its heritage, and instead of asking for a boilerplate replication of the brand we all know and love, they give makers the freedom to express their creative talents, vision, and style.
Linda Merad, a French illustrator based in Paris, is one of those artists. In 2025, she was contacted to create illustrations for the brand’s Instagram account, producing a series of colourful, textural pieces filled with gorgeous nods to nature and playful characters – shoes kissing, human mushrooms, and experiments with lithography. Hermès liked it so much that the art director, Rachel Cazadamont, asked for more and wanted Linda to make an animation using her signature lithographic aesthetic.
Her first foray into animation left Linda more than excited. And the initial idea to produce an Instagram animation soon evolved into an entire digital campaign to build the global universe, both on the social media platform and on the website. Linda worked with art director Jérémy Givord to develop the visuals for the e-commerce platform, and with Quentin Klein to animate her illustrations, alongside Pascal Armand, who composed the music. “There were only five of us in the creative team, and it was really great to work with people who were so skilled in their fields,” explains Linda. And despite the scale of the brand, the process felt intimate, almost studio-like in spirit.
Working to a theme of ‘Venture Beyond’ – which is Hermès’ theme for the year – Linda took inspiration from the French saying “l’appel du Large” which translates to “the call of the open sea”, and suggested a journey beyond the sea and into an “upside-down world” where, Linda says, “the sea is the sky and the clouds are the ground”. In a surrealist, bizarre and quite frankly beautiful world, we’re taken into unknown territory where anything can happen. “We follow the birth and journey of a Hermès seahorse, which we named Hippolitho, as it encounters Hermès products and fantastic animals, mainly birds and fish.”
You’ll spot the seahorse wrapped in an Hermès silk scarf, swimming amongst its sea friends; a woman’s watch taking a plunge into this magical land; an octopus-like creature taking a stroll (or swim?) in multiple pairs of Hermès shoes, one for each of its legs. All of which is sprinkled with Linda’s colour-blocked style, first created with pen and India ink, scanned, then sent to Quentin, who brought the illustrations to life using 3D software. Linda also scanned flat areas of lithographic ink so they could use the textures in the moving image.
When asked about her stylistic choices, Linda explains that the aesthetic for this project was fully inspired by lithography, a practice she began experimenting with around four years ago alongside her illustrations. “I love it! The sensation of drawing on stone is almost like meditation, and my sense of control is quite shaken up. I improvise, I have fun, and I draw without a specific plan,” she explains. “Accidents happen, and that’s what makes lithography so charming; you have to deal with the motions of randomness and the unexpected.”
It’s a style that feels refreshingly at odds with the polished precision we often associate with luxury branding. “I find it quite radical compared to what you might expect from a luxury brand,” says Linda.
With a portfolio rich with work for clients including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and brands such as Usonia Wines, Bantu Chocolate and Roos & Roos perfumes, Linda is well on her way to making a mark in the world of commercial collaborations. And since launching this campaign for Hermès, she has received even more invitations, which she’s utterly grateful for. “I’d like to find a better balance between commissions and personal work, which is something I’ve neglected a bit due to a lack of time,” she adds. “But 2026 looks very promising, and I hope to take on more exciting and ambitious projects!”
