Does Hermes Practice Sexism?

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#46
Liberté said:
Yeah, I think age is a separate issue with its own complications. I have friends in a similar situation where the younger part of the couple has gotten nasty comments in stores and restaurants (not a lot thankfully) with even worse implications than just a sugar daddy situation... I understand that people make assumptions and especially in retail where the SAs meet a lot of people and want to make clients feel like they're on the same page as fast as possible. But as a general rule, it's not going to flatter any of the parties involved implying that one is being paid to be there... Even if it could be true. :P
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My husband is 20 years older than me and I got sugar daddy comments even at work. If only he was, I wish :whut:
 
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#49
LVinCali said:
And I have to start prepping my introverted tech nerd husband to go into a Hermès to get me bag even though he rather be anywhere else rather than inside a luxury shop.
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AND teach him the difference between a Kelly and a Birkin !

AND what size to get and what size not to get !

AND leathers, ooooh leathers that is another story !

AND COLORS !!!! oh my god he will be over the phone saying something like " well I got offered a somehow beige bag or was it grey ? " and I will be spinning in circles thinking was it Gold ? Etoupe ? Etain ? . Him : "I am not sure but they offered me a red bag also" . Me : "waahhhaaaaaaaa which red ? Tomat ? Grant ? Casaque ? Vif ? .... this is pointless I am coming over ASAP !!! BYE "

I got frustrated just imagining this :lol:
 
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#52
aisham said:
I think the idea of a A man picking up an Hermes bag Birkin or Kelly as a gift for a women is the reason why he gets offered a bag and not because he is a man . SAs like the idea and get carried away with excitements . They might also help a daughter get a bag as a gift for her mother .
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Having worked at an LV boutique many years I definitely relate to this. The many times I would literally bend over backwards if I knew the purchase was a special present! Being the type of person who loves to give presents, I would go out of my way just make sure that everything was absolutely perfect. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of a good gesture.
 
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#53
So this happened to me while I was in Paris back in early Feb 2020 on our last day of the trip. I couldn't get an appointment at FSH so I went to Geroge V right after, at around 2pm by myself and my toddler on a Wednesday. My husband knew I was disappointed and went to Geroge V around 5pm without telling me as we went off shopping separately.

When I was at George V, the SA gave me an attitude and said no bags (I didn't even ask for BKC at all) other than the drawstring leather backpack.

When my husband went in and said he is buying a wedding anniversary gift for me, he was offered a boldie in rouge (not the mini size) and a mini lindy in rose sakura according to his description as he has no idea about Hermes bags. He didn't end up buying as he couldn't reach me via phone (my son misplaced it in the hotel room when I went back to start packing)....I guess it's just not meant to be...

I actually emailed Hermes and mentioned the situation, and of course the official response they provide is that the bags were being viewed by other customers so they could not present to me when I was at the store.
 
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#54
I don't think this is specifically sexist but rather some SAs liking the idea of a special present for someone you love. I can just see SAs are just as enthusiastic about say a daughter buying a special present for her mother (me!). There is no doubt some SAs may have some pre-conceived idea of men who always pay but I think it's a very out-dated view nowadays.
 
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#55
I've watched one of the videos you might be referring to. The Youtuber explained she's had bad experiences with H before, and I presume she has no purchase history with H because of it. But she was interested in the Kelly backpack and brought her friend along. She's not your dime-a-dozen Youtuber walking into luxury stores and buying things for the clickbait titles. She's particular about which brands she goes for and stays pretty loyal to those brands. The Kelly backpack they had at the store was 'Display Only' but the SA told her if she brought her husband or SO instead of her friend, he could show it to her and maybe even give her the chance to buy it. I'm not sure if the Kelly backpack is a quota bag, which could have something to do with it. The store is in Singapore (Marina Bay Sands) and much of H Singapore's inventory gets swept up by the local VVIPs and big spenders so I don't know how much that plays into the mentality of the SAs.

The usual route is to build a 'relationship' with an SA and a purchase history to work towards your wishlist H bags to prove you're a serious customer (for life, generally). The reverse seems to be happening with having an SO or DH involved. I've seen stories where the man didn't even have to say it was a gift or anything special, just told the SA what bag they were looking for. I don't think it's H's actual policy to be sexist to their own clientele, but I do think H's unique position in hierarchy of the luxury market, and their consistent goal to "build" life-long relationships rather than have people walking in, hitting a spending ratio, buying a B or a K and disappearing forever, allows their SA's to develop a certain sales mentality that can play heavily on gendered norms. The DH & SO is the easier path to building that long-term relationship for certain SAs who follow these norms.

But that's just me trying to rationalise things. In any case, having no purchase history shouldn't warrant this kind of gendered treatment.

Edit: I rewatched the video. She echoed my thoughts on the 'DH/SO' being considered a gateway, at least with this particular store.
 
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#56
nikka007 said:
My husband is 20 years older than me and I got sugar daddy comments even at work. If only he was, I wish :whut:
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I once showed up to a nice party with my biological father and got ignored by several older ladies. Basically, I tried to strike a conversation while having champagne, and they just kind of walked away. My father later introduced me to them and they immediately smiled and became friendly. Apparently, they thought I was his second wife or mistress. I laughed so hard.
 
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#57
aisham said:
AND teach him the difference between a Kelly and a Birkin !

AND what size to get and what size not to get !

AND leathers, ooooh leathers that is another story !

AND COLORS !!!! oh my god he will be over the phone saying something like " well I got offered a somehow beige bag or was it grey ? " and I will be spinning in circles thinking was it Gold ? Etoupe ? Etain ? . Him : "I am not sure but they offered me a red bag also" . Me : "waahhhaaaaaaaa which red ? Tomat ? Grant ? Casaque ? Vif ? .... this is pointless I am coming over ASAP !!! BYE "

I got frustrated just imagining this :lol:
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DYING AT THIS LOL
 
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#58
aisham said:
I think the idea of a A man picking up an Hermes bag Birkin or Kelly as a gift for a women is the reason why he gets offered a bag and not because he is a man . SAs like the idea and get carried away with excitements . They might also help a daughter get a bag as a gift for her mother .


I also agree with this .
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I agree and feel its the sentiment that counts not sex :smile:
but agree that sexism like racism exists in the society in general not necessarily Hermes.
 
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#59
In Paris Sèvres pop-up this week, I and all other females were ushered into private rooms (probably all for our rejections and up sells on non B/K bags) while the only male in the store was totally man spreading and yaking it up on his phone right in the middle of the store while they brought out multiple Kellys (and in etain and etoupe) for him. It was definitely different.

I am not a Kelly girl, but I almost asked to see them after him (assuming he would not buy all of them) just to see what they would say. And while I eventually got a B at another store, they definitely made me move to a room and did not give me multiple choices!
 
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#60
LVinCali said:
In Paris Sèvres pop-up this week, I and all other females were ushered into private rooms (probably all for our rejections and up sells on non B/K bags) while the only male in the store was totally man spreading and yaking it up on his phone right in the middle of the store while they brought out multiple Kellys (and in etain and etoupe) for him. It was definitely different.

I am not a Kelly girl, but I almost asked to see them after him (assuming he would not buy all of them) just to see what they would say. And while I eventually got a B at another store, they definitely made me move to a room and did not give me multiple choices!
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Wow...I wonder if he was a VIP or something. If not, I will definitely consider bringing a male friend. I didn’t know the difference would be so stark.
 
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