Do Parisians wear Hermes?

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#16
Just back from Paris in December. During this trip I noticed many more Birkins than Kellys (& in the expected places: FSH, Place Vendome, etc.). On previous visits I saw well-loved Kellys almost exclusively, and all of them were Box. A couple of years ago a Parisian explained to me that many young French women get their first Hermes scarf for their 18th birthday from their parents -- and their first H bag handed down from their mother (if they're lucky) when they are much older.

I always enjoy the myriad of ways French women wear scarves (and they all do), but most of the time the scarves I've seen aren't H. Cotton, wool, chiffon, simple, complicated. I like the "mix-up" of high and low, too. Less predictable -- and less about the "uniform", more about style.
 
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#17
luxurylife88 said:
All my french gal pals they prefer kellys more than the birkin
Click to expand...

I don't doubt this, since whenever I've visited Paris, most of the *H* bags I see being carried by Frenchwomen are Kellys (the Birkin carriers I've seen tend to be foreigners). The Kelly carriers seem to be refined, older ladies, nicely coiffed, dressed in elegant tweeds with *H* scarves to accessorize. Nothing fussy about them. Just quiet, understated elegance.
 
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#18
The new french first lady, Carla Bruni, certainly loves her Hermes. She prefers the Petite Ceinture tote instead of a Birkin and has the newer, flat Kelly, she also has a few others including a gorgeous Constance (check out the Socialites and their Hermes thread).

I think the women you see carrying a Birkin in the ritzy areas are more than likely to be foreign visitors. One of the things I've noticed with French women is that the older they get, the smaller their bags become. Teenagers love the big Gerard Darels and the Longchamp nylon tote bags, but the older women don't like schlepping big schlumpy bags. At least, that's my observation.
 
#19
I just want to say that I have been enjoying this thread SO much. Unfortunately I don't have anything to contribute, since I actually never noticed how they dress last few times I went there. But I promise, this time when I go, I will MAKE sure to take notes! :heart:
 
#22
I was there April 2008

not sure where they were from but on Fauberg while shopping I saw Bolides, a Toile Birkin and a couple of Kellys

I saw quite a few old Vuitton monogram bags on older women...well worn bags that they have seemed to own for many years

I saw one silver Chanel reissue away from the touristy areas while exploring the city

I saw no bright colored bags being worn...mainly shades of brown, black, tan etc.
 
#25
I think it depends on location :)
I've seen some very chic older ladies carrying Birkin, they looked exactly the way I imagined real Parisian woman will look like. Saw Plume once, saw younger woman carrying black croc Birkin. Haven't seen any Kelly's.

Funny that my husband recognizes Hermes bags now too. :laugh:
 
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#26
OT: 880 you're here!! :heart: Are you finally back in town?

Well, we won't shoot you! :P

I share your opinion about the average Parisian not dressing as well as the average New Yorker! But I don't agree with London. Don't shoot me!

I think I know Paris better than I know London. But I don't know NY yet...

Since London was my most recent journey, everything is still very fresh on my memory! There were def. postcard worth styles! I cannot forget the family I saw taking a walk near Buckingham! I couldn't help but smile! A 4 member family: parents and children, a boy and a girl. All of them were beautifully put together. There wasn't a hair out of place! From the father's umbrella, cashmere scarf, leather gloves, shoes... mother's fur, coat, shoes, hair, makeup, BLACK BOX KELLY SELLIER... son's grown up looks (he was about ten yo)... daughter's dress, scarf, fur hand-warmer... just perfectly beautiful! By far the best dressed people I saw there! Classic, timelessly dressed!
Then I mostly saw people with LOADS of LV. And I mean LOADS!! I saw so many LVs that... well... let's put it this way: I think "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Lustre" may have a point!! (tryed to buy it, but was sold out and being reprinted... baah)
I saw a few H tho. But the problem is that it's extremely dificult to find a "not so touristic" place in London to watch the fauna! I saw some well dressed people (in other way than that family), mostly guys! I saw a couple of girls too! But it was in a club, so I won't count! :P Anyway, I was there in two tricky times of the year: before Christmas and before New Year! So I won't judge Londoners' style based on those visits! And on top of it, we're talking wintertime here. That's the time of year (in my HUMBLE opinion) when most people look good, because coats and jackets usually help a LOT!

Back to Paris, I've been there during different times of the year, and mostly outside touristic places. I used to stay in Neuilly-sur-Seine, but that's not a good place to base our fashion opinion on Parisians! Too fancy to be real! Wonderfully dressed people, all the time, but not the average! I think that, on average, Parisians dress up to their taste... the thing is, they usually have a great taste! Wearing scarves is too common to be noticed for! The same goes for Kelly and kelly-like handbags! Women over 30 mostly. Under 30 the most seen is LV speedys and those Longchamps! Not many Birkins either! And young people are genuinly eccletic! You may see a girl dressed from head to toe (if the toe is not peeping! :P) with designer clothes, but wearing a flee market bag. They mix Zara with Dior, or Prada with H&M and no-name-accessories! That's a way of thinking... and I don't think they treat their Hermès scarf any different than they treat their flee market scarf. It's not that they don't appreciate their H, it's just the way they are!! That said, there are obviously young people who obsess over H as much as we do, but they're just not the average! (and that's the main difference I think there is between New Yorkers and Parisians - New Yorkers know and praise their stuff in a way that Parisians only do when they're older! - That's just an opinion from a NY outsider, me).

MILAN, on the other hand, has the best dressed and most stylish people I've ever seen! I have never seen people as trendy, as SKINNY and as stylish ad Milanese people! Really! I felt fat, short and provincian there!!
 
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#27
LoL I only realised now how long and somehow off-topic my post is! I'm sorry!

My point was: average Parisians do wear Hermès, but they wear it as they wear Zara. Once again, I'm talking about under 30 Parisians... 30++ wear Hermès in a more conscious way though!
 
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#28
I went to Paris last year with my cousin, and I noticed a variety of scarves, not all of them Hermes. I noticed maybe one or two times ladies using a kelly. I visited the H flagship on two occasions and saw a few birkins, but I think they were tourists. It was the winter time, so I there were a lot of coats and thick winterwear. I didn't pay attention to handbags as this was my first trip to Paris my cousin and I were total tourists oooh-ing and ahh-ing over everything. And stuffing our faces =P

I totally wish I could wear scarves as effortlessly and casually as others are able to.
 
#29
On my last visit I spotted Picotins, Birkins, JPG Birkins, and a Kelly Lakis (on a man). These were mostly in the St. Germain where I was staying or in the general vicinity of FSH, where I spent way too much time.

I see much more Hermes in Paris than in New York City.
 
#30
I totally agree w/ LITTLE H. I lived in Paris for many years as well, and keep going back every year for three to four months out of the year and nothing has changed when it comes to Hermes. Birkins, Kellys, scarves, belts and watches !!!!!! All a must for the well dressed and the not so well dressed alike.
 
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