Hermes SA & their gloves

[Ms Birkin]

I think it totally varies. Gloves are not common at all in my experience in Europe. Even the SAs at FSH handling jewellery did not wear gloves. Not seen them in Germany, France or Spain.

However (and rather strangely), the SAs in Manchester Selfridges do use gloves when handling bags and jewellery. Manchester King Street do not. So it must be an individual store policy thing. I personally found it strange. But then I'm not used to it...

Do you think it is because the staff in H Selfridges are new and therefore just to be "on the safe side" they use gloves to prevent scratches to bags?

However when I collected my new bag from King Street awhile ago, they did put on gloves to show me the bag, which I was really surprised at

 

[mooks]

Selfridges in London use gloves as does Bond Street but with both stores it's only been fairly recently, certainly no more than 6 months

 

[boo1689]

I've only seen gloves on SAs in Asia.... not in the U.S.....

and I always wonder if they would actually want me to put on gloves if I want to handle the merchandise too?? hahha~

 

[ueynah]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad to share.

hanyeu,
a SM once told me that a birkin couldn't be sold because someone scratched the bag. That someone did not purchase the bag afterwards. Can you believe a birkin that is just sitting in storage room and can never be sold again?

i would gladly buy it as a mark off item but seeing how H "burns" all the stuff that goes unsold after the sale, i sincerely doubt that H would treat birkin any differently. after all, there are items in H that are more expensive than birkin that do not get sold off regularly. but i do appreciate the glove wearing as it has both practical and symbolic significance! thanks for sharing!

 

[Poshhoney]

I just found it strange considering they are so careful taking the bag out with gloves on and then they hand it to you. Felt like I should be wearing gloves too!

 

[papertiger]

Selfridges in London use gloves as does Bond Street but with both stores it's only been fairly recently, certainly no more than 6 months

Do you think it's person to person thing? I and B never put gloves on (recently) when they serve me in Bond St nor J in Harrods. So strange these little inconsistancies no?

Please excuse my English ATM (esp spelling) Mooks, it's a skill that seems to be declining while I'm in France. :shame:

 

[mooks]

I'm not sure papertiger, the SA's always do it when they handle the exotics and luckily for me they have been kind enough to have let me play with quite a few. They don't do it with things like the Evelyne or Lindy though

Isn't B a darling!!

As Poshhoney said I feel like I should be wearing gloves too....LOL!!

 

[papertiger]

I'm not sure papertiger, the SA's always do it when they handle the exotics and luckily for me they have been kind enough to have let me play with quite a few. They don't do it with things like the Evelyne or Lindy though

Isn't B a darling!!

As Poshhoney said I feel like I should be wearing gloves too....LOL!!

Ah... that explains it Mooks - I've never 'entertained' an exotic I'm still in the basic camp

Yes B is the loveliest H SA ever!!! J is very sweet in H Harrods too but B is fantastic (some of the others could take lessons from her I think -- and you know which 2 or 3 I am talking about in particular).

 

[mooks]

She's always been so kind to me and makes time to chat too. The SA's at Selfridges are outstanding as well

 

[hermesmonkey]

In the H boutiques that I frequent, the SAs wear gloves when handling any exotic bag. They don't with exotic SLGs. I have never really thought much of it, and actually quite appreciate the gesture.

 

[ueynah]

when i was in a tokyo reseller (not H), i was actually given a pair of disposable gloves to wear when handling a Birkin...

i agree that it seems strange that they were so careful when it is the customers that they should be worried about! in our excitement, i can imagine that we can easily scratch or drop the bag!

however, although it was odd to be wearing the gloves, in retrospect, i supposed that gesture would make the most sense considering.

 

[Les Tambours]

Wow, I would never have thought to really notice and I'm certainly not offended with staff so very demonstrably taking care of the products. I've only seen this happen a few times at King Street in Manchester - they seem to use gloves very occasionally for high end items. It may depend on the state of any SAs nails - if long wear gloves, if short don't bother as there will be less danger of scratching.

And its true damaged scarves are sent away to be incinerated. I wanted a scarf -again at King Street ( long may it reign) but the SA noticed a little fading on a crease due to exposure to the sun and simply would not sell it to me.

 

[pyrexia]

Wow, I would never have thought to really notice and I'm certainly not offended with staff so very demonstrably taking care of the products. I've only seen this happen a few times at King Street in Manchester - they seem to use gloves very occasionally for high end items. It may depend on the state of any SAs nails - if long wear gloves, if short don't bother as there will be less danger of scratching.

And its true damaged scarves are sent away to be incinerated. I wanted a scarf -again at King Street ( long may it reign) but the SA noticed a little fading on a crease due to exposure to the sun and simply would not sell it to me.

While I love that Hermes takes pride in the items it sells and demands the highest level of quality control for its products, it sometimes irks me a little - I mean, I can live with a slight defect, sell it to me already!! I know some are absolutely fastidious about the new items they buy, but if it's a rare piece or the last piece and the "damage" is fairly minor, I wouldn't mind.

 

[Samaire]

I've seen some use gloves and some not. Come to think of it, why don't they ask customers to use gloves on the delicate croc?

 

[mooks]

Wow, I would never have thought to really notice and I'm certainly not offended with staff so very demonstrably taking care of the products. I've only seen this happen a few times at King Street in Manchester - they seem to use gloves very occasionally for high end items. It may depend on the state of any SAs nails - if long wear gloves, if short don't bother as there will be less danger of scratching.

And its true damaged scarves are sent away to be incinerated. I wanted a scarf -again at King Street ( long may it reign) but the SA noticed a little fading on a crease due to exposure to the sun and simply would not sell it to me.

I had this happen with a CDC in Selfridges. There was some faint tarnish from the solder or something and the SA said "I can not sell this to you". I suggested giving it a wipe with a silver cloth and the tarnish came off. I bought a different one in the end anyway....LOL!