CS/GM poor quality

Hermeshermione

Hermeshermione

O.G.
Jan 15, 2010
291
4
#1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2NgbaOILH8

Hi

I have uploaded pictures of my poor Ex Libris Cashmere Shawl which I purchased in 2010 from my boutique. I have other shawls and very many twills so it was not a case of this was the one and only which I wore every day. I reckon I wore it about 20 times, that is not an excuse for the way it is today, I reckon I should be able to wear it a hundred times without fear of it ending up the way it has. These shawls are now costing over 900 Euro which is a fortune and not a problem if I am buying a piece of quality but a major problem if I am buying a rag....which my shawl now is. I spoke several times to the SA's of the problem and they denied that there was one and that no one had ever complained to them before. I am trying to find out if other ladies around the world are aware of such a problem, have they experience of same and how has it been handled by their boutique or do you know if Hermes are aware of such a problem. Thank goodness for the Internet and the fact that we can communicate in this way and assemble our evidence. I would like to invite you to visit my youtube video and look at my poor scarf and add comments.

I do like to read posts here and hopefully in the future I might be able to join in.

Many thanks.
 
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#2
I have the same problem with my Early America. The only thing I could do was to brush it with a wool brush and it worked well.

It's the reason why instead of the GM shawl my last buy was a stole.

But I can't resist the GM shawls anyway...

Your shawl is beautiful, I hope you can work it out.
 
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#3
Hi, my tohu bohu looks to be in the same shape as your ex libris. I was surprised at first with the way it pilled and all, but thought that was due to just wear and tear. I hate that it was over $1000 so I try to wear it a lot and get my money's worth. I have a couple of these GM shawls and am very careful with the others, meaning I hardly wear them for fear of pilling and runs. My next one will be the GM but in pure silk twill.
BTW what's a wool brush and where do I get one?
 
#4
Hence why I prefer to get silk twill - as nice as shawl is, the colours are not so poppy as in silk and there's this problem. But I guess that's something you can't really avoid considering the nature of the material.
I have a silk scarf that dates from the fifties or sixties, so it's literally over 50 years and it still look very good.
 
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#6
good life said:
Hi, my tohu bohu looks to be in the same shape as your ex libris. I was surprised at first with the way it pilled and all, but thought that was due to just wear and tear. I hate that it was over $1000 so I try to wear it a lot and get my money's worth. I have a couple of these GM shawls and am very careful with the others, meaning I hardly wear them for fear of pilling and runs. My next one will be the GM but in pure silk twill.
BTW what's a wool brush and where do I get one?
Click to expand...

It's a clothes brush.:smile:

http://www.melongate.com/products/redecker/1.html
 

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#7
good life said:
Hi, my tohu bohu looks to be in the same shape as your ex libris. I was surprised at first with the way it pilled and all, but thought that was due to just wear and tear. I hate that it was over $1000 so I try to wear it a lot and get my money's worth. I have a couple of these GM shawls and am very careful with the others, meaning I hardly wear them for fear of pilling and runs. My next one will be the GM but in pure silk twill.
BTW what's a wool brush and where do I get one?
Click to expand...

I think we should try and calculate when this started to happen...I have a much earlier Jungle Love and there is no evidence of pilling or pulls. It seems such a shame that you buy something and live in fear of wearing it, at that rate it is hardly worth having. I have no problem with twills or even mousseline....just cashmere. I have relatively inexpensive cashmere jumpers which pill and expensive ones which do not.... I apply the same rationale to my expectations of H Cashmere :smile:
 
#8
I have heard from many fellow collectors of H scarves and shawls about this problem. I have a distinct recollection of noticing that the shawls felt much thinner at one point, but I cannot recall just when this was. Whenever it was, others started complaining about the thinness and the pilling shortly after I noticed it. I have purchased 2 or 3 shawls per season for the past few years, but have to admit that I have many that are still unworn. Of those that I have worn, I have experienced the pilling problem with a Kelly en Caleche. I have two of the Ex Libris, including one in your beautiful framboise, but I haven't worn either yet. I expect my fate to mirror yours.

I completely agree that this is unacceptable at the price of these shawls. They are beautiful, yes, but they should not pill and look like rags after a season. This quality issue will certainly slow down, if not eliminate, my purchasing of these beauties...darn it!!
 
#9
There can be no doubt that the cashmere/silks have declined in quality. They are too thin and too sheer. As I was taking my latest cashmere GM out of the box, literally the day I brought it home, it created a big pull through the shawl as I was trying it on. :mad: :mad: :mad:

I would have taken it back, I would have raised the roof, but I really wanted this shawl.

The staff that my local H deny that anyone has complained. How can that be? Thank you for making your video and posting here. My advice would be to print all the comments you will receive and send it to the CEO of Hermes. Tell him that we're not dumb. Tell him that we have eyes to see and fingers to feel! The decline is SO apparent. I have already sent my letter.

:boxing::boxing::boxing::boxing::boxing:
 
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#10
There are a number of threads on this and I do agree for the price they are charging the quality should be better. People that I have talked to several people in the textile trade and when it comes to the pilling a lot is dependent of that it is a blend between silk and cashmere.
here are some of the older threads maybe they can share some more light
http://forum.purseblog.com/hermes/the-fragility-of-gm-shawls-420873.html
http://forum.purseblog.com/hermes/oh-no-my-new-gm-shawl-is-pilling-548434.html
 
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#11
ladyhermes said:
There are a number of threads on this and I do agree for the price they are charging the quality should be better. People that I have talked to several people in the textile trade and when it comes to the pilling a lot is dependent of that it is a blend between silk and cashmere.
here are some of the older threads maybe they can share some more light
http://forum.purseblog.com/hermes/the-fragility-of-gm-shawls-420873.html
http://forum.purseblog.com/hermes/oh-no-my-new-gm-shawl-is-pilling-548434.html
Click to expand...

I have gone through many of these posts and note that the problem seems to have arisen late 2009 and landed 2010 with a bang. I read in one of the posts that H should have a recall, I wish! and one of the ladies had the same shawl as mine and she worried how it might fare... I wonder now how it is. There is also the point made that it is much easier to see the bad wear on a plainer GM, patterns tend to hide a lot of the damage. Last year, my boutique had put aside a GM for me and I went in to see it and try it out, when I took it from my shoulder I was horrified to see that it had a large pull which I felt obliged to point out to them, I had no rings or jewellery of any kind and my coat was cashmere so there was absolutely nothing to have caused it, the SA was in attendance and she too could not attribute this to me...she just shrugged and said these things will happen.... you have no idea how awful I felt that day.

This poor quality cannot continue....it is of recent times only and no one appears to complain of scarves prior to 2009. The great suggestion was made here that a copy of the posts might be sent to Hermes and if we can manage to accumulate a substantial number of complaints from around the world, happy days! we must vote with our H coin and if they notice a lack of GM sales, surely they will have to do something.
 
#12
Oh, that is just so sad. It makes my heart hurt to see this beautiful (and expensive) CS shawl looking so pilly and pitiful. There has been so much talk about the downturn in quality of H shawls in recent years. It may not help anyone who has had the misfortune to have this happen already, but I hope everyone who is unsatisfied will lodge complaints directly with Hermes.
 
#13
Hermeshermione-

I have watched the decline in quality of Hermes c/s carefully and in my estimation, it has been more like the past 5 years of poor quality. My c/s GMs from 2006 and earlier are thicker and more durable. As an aside, recently there was an article in Good Housekeeping about judging cashmere- if you can hold it up to the light and see through it, toss it back. I guess this goes for all cashmere except Hermes! Amazing what we will pay for when a certain label is attached- and to think prices just keep going skyward.

I personally am no longer buying new Hermes GM or PM c/s until there is a significant improvement in quality. And even then, a lot of thought will go into a new purchase at these prices. I may very well be out of the H c/s game for good.

Thank you very much for the You Tube video- you proved the point in a dramatic and irrefutable fashion.
 
#14
toujours*chic said:
Hermeshermione-

I have watched the decline in quality of Hermes c/s carefully and in my estimation, it has been more like the past 5 years of poor quality. My c/s GMs from 2006 and earlier are thicker and more durable. As an aside, recently there was an article in Good Housekeeping about judging cashmere- if you can hold it up to the light and see through it, toss it back. I guess this goes for all cashmere except Hermes! Amazing what we will pay for when a certain label is attached- and to think prices just keep going skyward.

I personally am no longer buying new Hermes GM or PM c/s until there is a significant improvement in quality. And even then, a lot of thought will go into a new purchase at these prices. I may very well be out of the H c/s game for good.

Thank you very much for the You Tube video- you proved the point in a dramatic and irrefutable fashion.
Click to expand...


Thank you for comment. It is bedtime on this side of the Globe but I hope the thread will continue and we gather all new evidence in the one spot. Together we can make a differerence. I currently have three returns following Christmas which always translated into a GM in January but not this time...I will change them for current twills in case they change the rules again!
 
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