Hermès bag gang buys up half the supply

[jmen]

Pre COVID the SM said h was expanding their production sites in France, so what you suggested has already occurred.
The onset of the virus has not only impacted chips for autos, electronics, etc. apparently it has affected tires as well. Now with Delta and the variants to come, it looks as if we are in this for the long haul.

 

[amateurjeweler]

Even though Hermes pushes the scarcity narrative, and the pre-spend requirement (which doesn’t sit right with me), sometimes it seems B/K/Cs are actually readily available. In my imagination, the stock rooms of Hermès stores are full of B/K/C. They are just being held back for maximum impact.
Which is it, Hermès?

But then again, why does it take some people a year to receive their order just for a strap for their bag?

Also, old money folks don’t need status bags to announce their status.

Sometimes this Birkin and Kelly mania reminds me of the Dutch tulip craze of centuries ago.

I’ll never understand buyers obsessed with a handful of models from H and C. I’m not judging anyone, I just don’t get it

 

[EllenTsai]

Each H bag is hand made start to finish by one craftsman and there are many more designs of bags and other leather products that are also entirely hand made from start to finish with saddle stitch.
I remember reading somewhere that H currently employs about 2-3000 leather craftsmen.They recruit 200 per year. Basic training alone at the leather school takes 12-18 months with further trainings before actually making bags.
Do the maths…
On the Internet and social media most often we only see the ‘success’ stories which may just be a tip of the ice berg of those who go in store and ask every day even at FSH.
Oh course they can expand production, shorten training and lower their standards to mass produce B/K/C. But that wouldn’t be Hermes. If that’s their philosophy Hermes would probably have been gone 150 years ago

 

[Mrs.Hermess]

Even though Hermes pushes the scarcity narrative, and the pre-spend requirement (which doesn’t sit right with me), sometimes it seems B/K/Cs are actually readily available. In my imagination, the stock rooms of Hermès stores are full of B/K/C. They are just being held back for maximum impact.
Which is it, Hermès?

But then again, why does it take some people a year to receive their order just for a strap for their bag?

Also, old money folks don’t need status bags to announce their status.

Sometimes this Birkin and Kelly mania reminds me of the Dutch tulip craze of centuries ago.

 

[Mrs.Hermess]

Sent too soon
For the most part, they always have readily available bags BKC. A colleague’s husband is an SA in another city and they have bags!
They “save” them for a VVIP or a big spender. Mostly, to ensure we all spend a lot on other items.
I buy what I like, but it’s annoying at times that I need to spend spend spend to get a bag offer. Then you receive the offering, and we play the game again. Hermes games.

 

[chrixtabel]

Recently I saw a social-influencer-youtuber, who also have designated help-to-buy (luxury fashion items) Facebook page, Instagram. Her posts said that she's able to get 2-3 control bags per year and whoever interested can register their interest with her by PM her. I hope Hermes ban this kinda "customer" globally. Like seriously.

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

Recently I saw a social-influencer-youtuber, who also have designated help-to-buy (luxury fashion items) Facebook page, Instagram. Her posts said that she's able to get 2-3 control bags per year and whoever interested can register their interest with her by PM her. I hope Hermes ban this kinda "customer" globally. Like seriously.

they make be fakes who knows?
Only way to kill the flip new bags for profit market is dont buy from resellers.

 

[castiel]

Each H bag is hand made start to finish by one craftsman and there are many more designs of bags and other leather products that are also entirely hand made from start to finish with saddle stitch.
I remember reading somewhere that H currently employs about 2-3000 leather craftsmen.They recruit 200 per year. Basic training alone at the leather school takes 12-18 months with further trainings before actually making bags.
Do the maths…
On the Internet and social media most often we only see the ‘success’ stories which may just be a tip of the ice berg of those who go in store and ask every day even at FSH.
Oh course they can expand production, shorten training and lower their standards to mass produce B/K/C. But that wouldn’t be Hermes. If that’s their philosophy Hermes would probably have been gone 150 years ago

It's common knowledge that most parts of most h bags are NOT hand stitched, idk why people still believe all h bags are hand made/sewed, it's just a sales gimmick of hermès , same thing for SLG, e.g. DOGON wallet/card holder you can tell from the stitch, they are just machine sewed.

 

[I AM GPT]

Recently I saw a social-influencer-youtuber, who also have designated help-to-buy (luxury fashion items) Facebook page, Instagram. Her posts said that she's able to get 2-3 control bags per year and whoever interested can register their interest with her by PM her. I hope Hermes ban this kinda "customer" globally. Like seriously.

This has been going on on asian Social Media accounts for years now.

 

[Perja]

It's common knowledge that most parts of most h bags are NOT hand stitched, idk why people still believe all h bags are hand made/sewed, it's just a sales gimmick of hermès , same thing for SLG, e.g. DOGON wallet/card holder you can tell from the stitch, they are just machine sewed.

IMO, I find calling it a gimmick a little harsh.
If it’s a human feeding the material through a sewing machine, I believe it still fits the definition of handmade (although you are right, not hand stitched).

This is very different from fully machine made, where material goes in one end and finished product comes out the other without a human involved.

In addition, sewing leather, even with a machine, requires a fair amount of experience to obtain the kind of regular stitch we see at H.

 

[castiel]

at this point Hermès should be able to produce more bags per week

 

[Jem131]

The thing that bugs me personally about this is that people are SO desperate for a Hermes quota bag that they are willing to pay 3 times (allegedly) the retail price to have one and have one NOW!
I see posts on this forum from new members about 'playing the game' desperate for a Birkin or kelly-I do wonder how many of these people actually do genuinely LIKE the design of the bags, or thought about wether its their style or not? or wether they want them as a status symbol-which I find kind of sad and actually puts me off the idea of buying a new Birkin should one become available to me.
I Love the bag, I love the workmanship, the leather, the simplicity of it -the heritage of the brand but I find I'm veering more towards buying a Birkin that has been well used so it looks less of a 'status symbol' more what it was designed to be..a bag to carry 'stuff' that just so happens to be so beautifully made it will last a lifetime.

I know this is an old post but I agree 1000%. If the greedy and desperate stopped buying B&K at the inflated cost resellers sell them then that market would dry up.

 

[Fixxi]

I know this is an old post but I agree 1000%. If the greedy and desperate stopped buying B&K at the inflated cost resellers sell them then that market would dry up.

I respectfully disagree. And I know this may be an unpopular opinion, please take it with a grain of salt. There are people willing to buy at such high cost from resellers is because there is a significant discrepancy between the supply and demand. The only way to curtail that would be for Hermes to produce more BKCs. If there were that many in the market, then the resellers would simply be out of business. But that's not the Hermes business model of exclusivity, which also produces more demand. It's a bit unfair imo to blame the customers who can't easily get what they want (who's to say someone deserve a BKC more than others - you can even say loyal customers deserve it more but there has to be a fairness in barrier to entry, but right now with the short supply there is a HUGE barrier to entry), and as much as I hate to say it (and note that I am not a supporter of resellers, nor have I ever purchased a handbag from a reseller) it's simply a market opportunity for resellers - and it's also slightly unfair to call them greedy as they're simply just opportunists as any other professionals that are utilizes their skills and resources to move to survive/thrive in life.

But also back to topic... it really sucks that some people are able to engage in this behavior. Even asides from legality, this does punish the real customers who might otherwise have a chance at a BKC. :/

 

[Jem131]

I respectfully disagree. And I know this may be an unpopular opinion, please take it with a grain of salt. There are people willing to buy at such high cost from resellers is because there is a significant discrepancy between the supply and demand. The only way to curtail that would be for Hermes to produce more BKCs. If there were that many in the market, then the resellers would simply be out of business. But that's not the Hermes business model of exclusivity, which also produces more demand. It's a bit unfair imo to blame the customers who can't easily get what they want (who's to say someone deserve a BKC more than others - you can even say loyal customers deserve it more but there has to be a fairness in barrier to entry, but right now with the short supply there is a HUGE barrier to entry), and as much as I hate to say it (and note that I am not a supporter of resellers, nor have I ever purchased a handbag from a reseller) it's simply a market opportunity for resellers - and it's also slightly unfair to call them greedy as they're simply just opportunists as any other professionals that are utilizes their skills and resources to move to survive/thrive in life.

But also back to topic... it really sucks that some people are able to engage in this behavior. Even asides from legality, this does punish the real customers who might otherwise have a chance at a BKC. :/

What’s ironic is that people complain about Hermes exclusivity “game”, then pay ridiculous prices to fast pass their way to a bag. Resellers know they’re desperate so they buy up H merchandise which depletes the inventory available for traditional clients who prefer to buy retail. And don’t get me started on the folks who have zero desire to keep anything purchased, who buy with sole intention of selling to make a profit. They care little about Hermes art and craftsmanship and to me are the very worse.

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

What’s ironic is that people complain about Hermes exclusivity “game”, then pay ridiculous prices to fast pass their way to a bag. Resellers know they’re desperate so they buy up H merchandise which depletes the inventory available for traditional clients who prefer to buy retail. And don’t get me started on the folks who have zero desire to keep anything purchased, who buy with sole intention of selling to make a profit. They care little about Hermes art and craftsmanship and to me are the very worse.

I looked on Fashionfile last night and was angered by how many bags were being sold as new at vastly inflated prices.
ditto things like the Buddy charm -over $1000...around $400 in the boutique (its around £350 from memory here in UK), Sandals, Calvi etc etc.
In fact the only 'as new' or 'giftable' items that weren't being sold at inflated prices seemed to be jewellery and watches which I would hazard a guess have been purchased for 'profile building' as opposed to flipping and profiteering.