Hermes plans store at Bellevue's Bravern

French fashion house Hermes plans to open a 2,100-square-foot store at the Bravern in Bellevue next year.

Hermes will join Neiman Marcus, Jimmy Choo, Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton at the massive mixed-use development off Interstate 405.

The announcement today by Bravern developer Schnitzer West marks another step in its efforts to attract upscale retailers to the Eastside, despite a sputtering national economy. It also represents Hermes' first foray into the Northwest.

The Paris-based retailer has stores in 19 U.S. cities, including Honolulu, Charlotte, N.C., and Las Vegas, though none yet north of San Francisco on the West Coast.

Its U.S. Web site sells such pricey fashion accessories as a brown corduroy equestrian-style "jump" hat for $380, silver cufflinks for up to $570, and an orange calfskin-strap watch for $1,475.

Scheduled for completion next year, the Bravern complex will include 305,000 square feet of shopping and dining space, 455 condominium units and two office buildings occupied by Microsoft. Other announced tenants are Red Door Spa, DavidBartonGym, John Howie Steak and Wild Ginger.

All but about 60,000 square feet of shopping and dining space at the Bravern is taken, meaning tenants have signed leases or letters of intent to do so, said Tom Woodworth, senior investment director at Schnitzer West. The remaining space would accommodate 15 to 20 retailers, Woodworth said.

"Maybe we could add one more restaurant, but most of those are going to be shops," he said. "We're probably well covered with accessories," so likely targets include "jewelry, apparel, children's and maybe some home furnishings" stores.

Meanwhile, Bravern rival Bellevue Square has been shaking up its tenant mix, adding Burberry, 7 For All Mankind, Vera Bradley, Eileen Fisher, Lacoste, and Free People, a women's clothing brand by Urban Outfitters.

Amy Martinez: 206-464-2923 or amartinez@seattletimes.com