A small scarf rant

LVChelseaGirl

LVChelseaGirl

O.G.
Nov 28, 2006
307
88
#1
In no way do I mean this in a negative way, but I have just a small annoyance to get off my chest. I have been a devoted Hermes fan since the age of 17 (I'm now 43, yikes!) and only upon turning 40 was I able to become a true Hermes lover thanks to a small inheritance and the stars aligning to get my beloved Birkin.

Since then I've moved on to the more practical (financially, anyway) collecting of scarves. But what I don't understand is why isn't there some sort of definitive catalog of color ways for a current seasons offering? Am I missing it somewhere?

In the past week I've found 3 scarves that have been high on my wish list offered in even more amazing colors than I originally thought. Why is it I've never seen those color ways before? I am a devoted PF viewer (if not always contributor), I check the Hermes website almost daily, even trying a few work arounds to get to foreign countries offerings. Yet these gorgeous color ways are out there and I never knew they existed!

The perfect example, I'm absolutely obsessed with L'Instruction du Roy. I currently have a 90cm scarf in beige and orange. Last summer while on vacation in Ireland I saw it offered in a beautiful light grey, one that I'd never seen before. Had I known I would have searched for that one.

I've been crossing my fingers to convince DH to let me buy it as a shawl in the oatmeal/black/pink color way. However on Maitai's latest post (the beautiful and lovely Mai Tai!) she showcases the shawl in taupes, greys, oranges, and rust and I literally fell off my chair when I saw it.

I had no idea that was out there!!! Imagine how upset I would have been, had my non-H fan DH said go ahead and splurge on the shawl, only to find that wasn't the true color that spoke to my heart? Unfortunately my closest H is 2 hours away, but we travel so much I really have no relationship established. In the past year I've been to the H in Boston, Greenwich CT, NYC, Toronto, Dublin, London, Houston, Atlanta, KOP, so I have no SA to rely on for this info. Truly, is it out there and I missing it? And do I need to sprinkle some extra fertilizer on my money tree?

Phew, sorry for the long post, but thanks for listening!
 
#2
I agree with you! I was never a scarfie until I started stalking the scarf thread, it was down hill after that. I wish they would print a catalog, I would spend soooo much more!!:lol:Seems silly to not offer this to customers, but then every colour of leather is not available to see in a swatch either.....:shrugs:
 
#3
Agreed!

I would also love a database that shows all the years of issue and reissue for each design, with which colorways were issued in which years. It would make resale hunting so much simpler.
 
#6
I completely understand your problem! My mother and I were just discussing this after I came home with my Phoenix scarf and had said I was sad that I had missed it the first time around. She didn't understand how I could have missed it, so I explained that all CWs and scarves weren't available in any boutique bar maybe FSH, nor were they on the website, or in the magazine, they were only in the little scarf block that was sent to stores.

She was completely horrified by this, and denounced it as "utterly stupid". (My mother's lack of fondness for H's marketing policies has been well documented in my posts before.) "Can't we write to them?" she asked. "Explain that good customers are missing out on items they would love to purchase because they don't know they exist?"

I told her this was an excellent point, but that I didn't think H's marketing department would be particularly bothered. In fact, once we thought about it, we realized it was far more likely that H had a secrecy department than a marketing department! I have to give them credit, though: the lack of availability of everything Hermes --even information-- has proven undeniably effective in increasing customer desire.

Would they make more money if people were able to find information about everything they might want to buy? Of course. But would that offset the money lost with the diminished brand mystique? I'm guessing the higher ups in Hermes' strategy department have decided that it wouldn't, and that's why they operate the way they do.

In short: I think we all feel your pain, but I personally doubt anything will happen to relieve it any time soon. The best you can do is skip around the various blogs and websites who try to cobble together the information-- the dedicated scarfies here do an excellent job, though a centralised database would be wonderful. There are a few, I think, but I don't know how comprehensive they are.

I hope you had a good experience at the Dublin store! That's my home H, and I find they are lovely and always do their best for everyone. :heart:
 
#7
if you ever have the chance to attend an H festival d' métier, the scarf makers will explain that the silk designs go through a very lengthy process of choosing and commissioning designs, selecting color ways that will suit customers in various countries depending upon the many years of their sales stats and input from each country,etc. etc. This might address why you will see different colorways in various countries as the sales managers choose the colorways that will appeal to their customers for their stores at podium. Still, these choices are not publicized in any way, because the inventory is so unpredictable as to when or if it will arrive. Although it can be frustrating, I tend to think that part of the fun of finding something unexpected, beautiful and handmade is serendipity when it comes to H. If you ask your sales manager if she or he knows what colorways were ordered of a particular pattern, you could ask them to reserve it for you to try on when it arrives at the store. I try to view as much of the current or past season colorways as possible before making my choice, and also it gives me time to think about a new addition to my collection to avoid duplicating colors or similar patterns. hope this helps!
 
#8
Julide said:
I agree with you! I was never a scarfie until I started stalking the scarf thread, it was down hill after that. I wish they would print a catalog, I would spend soooo much more!!:lol:Seems silly to not offer this to customers, but then every colour of leather is not available to see in a swatch either.....:shrugs:
Click to expand...
I think we are really talking about a luxury goods company which doesn't have the money to print a tiny carre stories booklet :sweatdrop: but have the money to print the special-piece catalogue in which more than half of the styles most boutiques don't order. Go figure!
 
#9
We are missing one big point so far in this discussion. Traditionally Hermes has not issued a catalogue of all it's designs and colourways in an attempt to make life for the fakers harder. As legitimate customers this can be hard to fathom. But recently the C book has acted as the definitive catalogue at least for silk scarves so you can at least see what's available in any one season if you are invited by the SAs to study it. Before this forum and the C book came along I bought plenty of scarves when I now know that a slightly different colourway would have suited me better. But I regard it as part of the chase, the changes in the passage of time - and the process of acquiring wisdom. If you ever expect Hermes to furnish all your heart's desires or, heaven forbid, make it easy then you are generating angst for yourself.
 
#10
I can totally understand your frustration! I only have one scarf in my collection and luckily it is the perfect colour combination and pattern for me, but I can only imagine how disappointing it would have been if I had bought it in another colour, only to see it in the colour I bought not long after.....

I guess part of the Hermes brand is mystery and that they don't produce 1000's of the same thing over and over like other brands (cough couch LV), its part of the charm and the top luxury branding that Hermes leads.
 
#11
Les Tambours said:
We are missing one big point so far in this discussion. Traditionally Hermes has not issued a catalogue of all it's designs and colourways in an attempt to make life for the fakers harder. As legitimate customers this can be hard to fathom. But recently the C book has acted as the definitive catalogue at least for silk scarves so you can at least see what's available in any one season if you are invited by the SAs to study it. Before this forum and the C book came along I bought plenty of scarves when I now know that a slightly different colourway would have suited me better. But I regard it as part of the chase, the changes in the passage of time - and the process of acquiring wisdom. If you ever expect Hermes to furnish all your heart's desires or, heaven forbid, make it easy then you are generating angst for yourself.
Click to expand...
I am sorry for not having anything to add to the scarf discussion (I stay away from the scarf thread, scarves are not my thing but if I venture into the thread I will soon have accumulated 10, lol which I then never use). I just had to say how wonderfully you have put this! It can apply to most things in Life!:heart:
 
#12
but there is a full catalogue of all scarves and colorways each season, arranged according to a twofold system - from one side each design in all colourways, from the opposite side each color with designs available in it. you just need to ask the SA to show it. HOWEVER, why notmake that available on their site?
 
#13
anez said:
I hope you had a good experience at the Dublin store! That's my home H, and I find they are lovely and always do their best for everyone. :heart:
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Thanks Anez! I absolutely loved Dublin! The SA was so charming and helpful. She was out in the department store just outside H with her gorgeous L'duRoy scarf tied behind her like a cape. So creative and it lets you see how beautiful the pattern is. She ushered me inside and pulled it out as a shawl and draped it around my shoulders and I was in love. Sadly it was the end of an expensive 3 week trip to the UK so DH said no way no day and I had to leave it behind:crybaby: You're so lucky to have it as your home store! The SAs were all very friendly.
 
#14
Les Tambours said:
But I regard it as part of the chase, the changes in the passage of time - and the process of acquiring wisdom. If you ever expect Hermes to furnish all your heart's desires or, heaven forbid, make it easy then you are generating angst for yourself.
Click to expand...

Thanks Les Tambours! I agree it's part of the chase, and because I bounce around from shop to shop I love finding something new and different. NY, Boston, and Greenwich are usually pretty picked over by the time I get to visit so I'm always surprised at what's out there when I travel.

I do get the small scarf booklet mailed to me every season, along with the giant magazine. I just wish there was one place to look to find out the possibilities. And I wish I had an unlimited H fund, but with all the travel we do (which DH thinks is a better use of our $$. . . ) I'm limited to only one or two a year.

Last time I was in Boston inquiring about LduR as a shawl in my color way the SA did bring over the iPad and scrolled through what looked like a catalog, it had a whole bunch of colors I'd never seen. Sadly he wouldn't let me take it home:giggles:
 
#15
Chestnutty said:
I think we are really talking about a luxury goods company which doesn't have the money to print a tiny carre stories booklet :sweatdrop: but have the money to print the special-piece catalogue in which more than half of the styles most boutiques don't order. Go figure!
Click to expand...

:lol:I had forgotten about this!!:giggles:The mysteries of H.:girlsigh:
 
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