Your Hermes as a Legacy

gina_b

gina_b

Member
Jul 27, 2006
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685
#1
I have two goddaughters, ages 2 and 3, and two more if you count their older sisters, both age 6. Although I don't yet have daughters of my own, when I buy anything of great value, in the back of my mind, there they are, since what I have may eventually be passed on to them. Does anyone else think that way? I took stock of all the Hermes I own to date and found myself thinking of how it might all be distributed in the event of my passing (which is not as morbid as you might think).

When I consider purchases for myself, part of me can't help considering how blue jean might bring out the blue M's eyes, or how cognac would really complement E's coloring when she's a young woman. So in truth I feel that, while I'm enjoying the bags and scarves (and jewelry, etc, but we're only talking Hermes for the moment) that I have, I'm only really taking care of them for the next generation.

Do any of you, with your heirs in mind, do anything special to protect your Hermes as a legacy to them? In the manner of selection? storage? care? insurance? Anything?

Just a thought. :smile:

And... this is just my pre-caffeinated brain wandering here... what do you think happens to a SO you've been waiting ages for if it arrives after you're gone? Can you earmark it for one of your heirs? (Seriously, why should your daughter/granddaughter/niece/neighbor's baby's nanny's older sister have to wait years for an Hermes bag she might want when you can let have the chance to have one sooner?)

Hmm...
 
#2
Currently, I'm not buying too much for my daughter that I'm not using myself, (she did get a scarf.) If I'm able to, I'd love to buy her a Kelly when she turns 21. Right now, I'm being greedy!!! mwahahahahaha
but she WILL inherit, what I hope, is a fab collection of well-cared for bags.
 
#3
Yep - my 2 daughters are my excuses to buy Hermes...and I have to make sure I have an even number!! :P

My Rouge H Kelly is for my older daughter (garnet's her birthstone) and my saffron Bolide is for my younger (citrine bithstone). The others they can mix and match as they choose.

I have a little journal where I will write about my Hermes bags (and who they're meant for)...haven't done so yet. The journal does have little stories about my fav pieces of jewelry and some of my collectible perfumes.
 
#4
It's funny you bring it up, because I was just reminded by a buddy to make sure I include my bags in my WILL... that believe it or not, but he's seen them become a very sticky issue in estates and to AT THE VERY LEAST have a blanket clause, such as they ALL go to so and so. Otherwise, they can be auctioned, sold, or distributed according to their estimated WORTH, not where you want them to be adopted.

Scary thought, huh? You don't have to update your will whenever you buy a new purse, but DO keep a record and DO let at least one friend and/or family member know where you keep it.

Even the best and sweetest families can get ugly over money, or pretty purses! :shrugs:
 
#5
^^ frenchiefan, I love the idea of a journal! :idea: What a great way to bring the history of the bags to life for them.

And GT - I'm as guilty as you of being greedy. Nothing to be ashamed of! Remember Gordon Gekko? "Greed is GOOD!"
 
#7
I absolutely keep my daughters in mind when purchasing. It is hard to pick something to go with their personalities at such an early age. I hope they will inherit a beautiful collection one day. They may think they are not the style at the time, but I am hoping that they will have seen me carry them enough that they will associate them with me and will hang on to them if only for the memories. I have a charm for each of them for their birth year. It is stored with their Hermes baby booties, LV mini speedies, and Tiffany silver baby cups in their respective LV boite. I know it must sound like I am creating materialistic monsters, but they are regular everyday girls--they just have a few nice treasures saved away for them.
 
#8
Sofibella said:
I have a charm for each of them for their birth year. It is stored with their Hermes baby booties, LV mini speedies, and Tiffany silver baby cups in their respective LV boite. I know it must sound like I am creating materialistic monsters, but they are regular everyday girls--they just have a few nice treasures saved away for them.
Click to expand...

That's lovely! It means that not only will they be carrying a little bit of you with them, but the realization that you thought of them every step of the way and dreamed about what kind of women they would be. I think that's beautiful!
 
#9
I often have an eventual beneficiary in mind when I buy a painting or antiques that I KNOW I'll keep for the rest of my life.

I don't have that mentality with scarves, and I haven't really had that idea in mind as I'm looking at handbags.
 
#10
LOL. gina, this thread brings back memories .... when I needed justification to buy more than 1 birkin at the start, it was leaving a Hermes legacy that motivated me to ... well, buy more Birkins. I remember telling my DH that my bags will likely last 2 generations, so it's not so bad if I amortise the costs of my bags over at least 50 years LOL :lol:

At the moment, 2 prized H possessions are actually somethings that cost the least > the 2004 Heart Cadena and the 2003 Mediterranean Cadena. I used to hang the Heart Cadena on one of my Kellys because I love it so much but I decided to put it back into its box and re-tied the ribbon around it, and wrote my DD's name on it. I bought the 2003 Cadena just last month for my DS, and I haven't even removed it from its box. The box bears the name of my DS. As you all might have guessed, these were the respective years my two children were born. These H cadenas mean so much more to me than anything else from Hermes. Call me a sentimental fool.
 
#11
I agree, I think the cadenas are just as wonderful a memento of a birthyear as anything (and practically speaking, much more useful than, say, an engraved silver rattle from Tiffany).

A handbag or a scarf may not seem like so great a legacy, but I wonder if they often carry more sentimental weight than other objects. In Paris, for example, on any given day in the Jardin des Tuileries, you'll see a few young, ie. twenty-somethings, carrying vintage kellys that you can often correctly assume were not purchased as vintage, but where handed down from mother to daughter or grandmother to granddaughter.

One of my best friends is from the south of France, and her most prized possessions are little things, small objects that her grandparents had used in their lifetimes. I love watching her open presents. She has a delicate way of carefully peeling back tissue paper and gingerly handling a scarf, for example, that somehow indicates that she plans to really treasure it and keep it for her children. In an age when so many material goods are treated as disposable, to me that seems very French, that small treasures are savored and safeguarded for the benefit of future generations. That even these small things have meaning, a valuable sentiment more precious than the item's market value, that these things have a place in telling the history of a person or family.
 
#12
Neither my bf or I have any desire for kids, and I doubt that will ever change, as I'm just not a baby-child-kid person. But I do consider my items going to my sister, even though she is only a year younger than I am. I just wish she took better care of her accessories; she's already destroyed one LV bag, 5 Juicy Coutures, and a Dior in less than three years, and torn a part a diamond and sapphire watch :wtf: She now wants an Hermes agenda, since I have one. I literally *cringe* at the thought of her having one, because the insides of her purses are frighteningly dirty (the last bright pink Juicy bag I gave her showed up a 3 months later, and instead of being pink, it had changed to brown from dirt). I hope she changes her habits, because I'd love to be able to give her some my Hermes items eventually.
 
#13
I love my family and wish I had a daughter, but I'm adamantly opposed to thinking of any of my purchases having value as a legacy.

As someone who grew up with a shopaholic mother who reminded me daily, "someday ALL THIS will be yours...," I abhor the idea of choosing either a lifestyle or even specific items for my children. Even at age 84, and on death's doorstep, my mother is telling me what furniture, art, and clothing I absolutely must keep forever. That's terrific, mother...but my husband found out two weeks ago that his position is being eliminated. Please realize, I might not have the luxury of keeping that fugly, dismal painting your father bought back in 1924 and which sat on your parents' fireplace mantle for 60+ years.

Ironically, my mother did have several Hermes bags from the 1950s and at least a half dozen gorgeous crocodile pumps that she pitched when we moved in 1971. I'd LOVE to have those now, but they're long gone.

Anyway, I think it's hubris to think that my children will appreciate my taste. My own interests have evolved and changed so much over the last quarter century of adulthood that the Federalist furniture I loved in 1990 has been replaced by mid-century modern. (Ok, I'm a trend follower.)

Sure Hermes is classic, but things change. I wouldn't say I live for today, because I do save and plan. But my plans extend only to myself; I can't assume that my children will want anything other than my money.

No offense to the lovely Gina and others, this is just something about which I have long-developed, visceral feelings.
 
#14
I definitely think about my daughter (she just turned two) in terms of my bags; they are included in our will, and I have a photo book wherein I have photographs of each item, where and when they were purchased, what I paid, and a detailed description of the item, including year stamp, etc. The book also includes smaller accessories, and at some point I will photograph the scarves. It is a work in process of course, because of course who knows when I will be done, but I will probably have the book printed in a few years when it becomes a nice size and start anew with another volume. I don't know if my daughter will come to love Hermes as much as I do, nor do I wish to impose my own preferences on her, but I am documenting all this in the event she is ever in a financial bind and may need to sell these items; I don't want her to receive less than what they're worth.
 
#15
Gina,
You read my mind! I do not have children yet (hope to soon), but have always thought who would I leave my bags to. I feel they are the one are I have something truly special that I want to hand down as tradition is very important in my family. I must say my sister was very hurt when I got my mother's kelly and she didn't. I will make sure if I have daughters to distribute what I have as equally as I can. I can only hope that my children will love them as much as I do and that if I have only boys, they may enjoy giving them to their wives someday! Great thread - thank you for posting it.:girlsigh: :yes:
 
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