Axel Dumas confirms single 2013 encounter with disgraced financier, says Epstein invited himself to event that included Woody Allen
Hermès CEO Axel Dumas has confirmed that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein attended a workshop visit at the luxury brand’s Paris facilities in 2013, stating that Epstein had invited himself to the event which also included filmmaker Woody Allen.
The admission comes amid ongoing scrutiny of business and cultural figures who had associations with Epstein, the financier who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Dumas characterized the encounter as a single, brief meeting and emphasized that it did not lead to any ongoing relationship between Epstein and the French luxury house.
According to Dumas, the 2013 workshop visit was arranged as part of Hermès’ occasional practice of hosting notable figures to showcase its craftsmanship. Epstein reportedly joined the visit uninvited, appearing alongside Allen, though the exact circumstances of how he gained access to the event remain unclear.
The revelation adds to the growing list of high-profile individuals and institutions that have been forced to address past connections with Epstein, whose extensive network in business, academia, and cultural circles has been the subject of intense public interest and investigation since his arrest in 2019.
Dumas’ statement appears aimed at preempting further speculation about the luxury brand’s ties to Epstein, with the CEO stressing that the encounter was isolated and that Hermès had no business dealings with the financier. The company has not provided additional details about the circumstances of the visit or why Epstein’s presence was permitted.
The disclosure is likely to raise questions about due diligence and access protocols at major corporations, particularly given Epstein’s already controversial reputation in 2013, when he was a registered sex offender following a 2008 conviction related to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Neither Hermès nor representatives for Woody Allen have elaborated on the nature of the workshop visit or the interactions that took place during Epstein’s attendance.
