Influencers and Hermes

[waterlily112]

I don’t know if anyone else feels the same, but the more I see influencers with Kellys and Birkins, the more I actually don’t feel like carrying the bags or even want the bags. It used to feel like carrying a B/K was being part of a secret club, and now it feels too “mainstream”. I find myself gravitating more towards H bags that are less popular or even vintage designs (I still love the Vespa).

My aunt is a died hard H lover so I grew up seeing a lot B/K whenever she come to visit so I never associated that brand or their handbags as part of a secret club. As I became older I really find myself gravitate toward structured bags, B/K fit my aesthetic so I began collecting them too. One thing I've learned from indulging in luxury goods is nothing is exclusive or rare, all eventually become mainstream (sort of), some trends stay some trends go. It probably just seem more in your face now because it's all over social media and we're on our phones all day consuming all the random contents. It's like VCA was a hidden gem until it blew up on social media, now it seems as though everybody and their dogs have an alhambra pendant.

 

[Love Of My Life]

My aunt is a died hard H lover so I grew up seeing a lot B/K whenever she come to visit so I never associated that brand or their handbags as part of a secret club. As I became older I really find myself gravitate toward structured bags, B/K fit my aesthetic so I began collecting them too. One thing I've learned from indulging in luxury goods is nothing is exclusive or rare, all eventually become mainstream (sort of), some trends stay some trends go. It probably just seem more in your face now because it's all over social media and we're on our phones all day consuming all the random contents. It's like VCA was a hidden gem until it blew up on social media, now it seems as though everybody and their dogs have an alhambra pendant.

Love it.. everybody & their dogs have an alhambra pendant.. but that would not deter me
from wearing it if I loved it.. it's not my favorite but for those who do love it.. wear it!

 

[waterlily112]

Love it.. everybody & their dogs have an alhambra pendant.. but that would not deter me
from wearing it if I loved it.. it's not my favorite but for those who do love it.. wear it!

Exactly. It's okay to like and enjoy mainstream items. Even with food, back in the days many people think kimchi is gross or didn't know it exist, now everybody raves about kimchi and I'm not going to stop eating it just because it became popular

 

[Love Of My Life]

Exactly. It's okay to like and enjoy mainstream items. Even with food, back in the days many people think kimchi is gross or didn't know it exist, now everybody raves about kimchi and I'm not going to stop eating it just because it became popular

The big picture is that for many the "influencers" are the end all. Gospel & then some
At times its like where are the free thinkers who don't have to live by every word
any influencer says
Wear what you want but wear it for the reasons that represent your own individual
statement not because some "influencer" says this is the end all

 

[880]

Welcome to the new secret (UTR) H club

As @Christofle mentioned it's been going for a very long time. It all depends on where we get our influence from. The B seemed to descend down the celebrity chain. There was definitely a shift from insider Paris BCBG/NY socialite to to celeb circuit late '90s. The news broadcast globally in SATC 'Samantha couldn't bag a B' episode 2001. Kate Moss (surely one of the biggest influencers of them all back in the day) carried her white B along with her new baby 2003 and then O.M.G quelle horreur, 'Posh Spice's' as a soccer WAG obsession during mid '00s, when she planned every RM Galaxy dress to match/co-ord her latest Birkin. Then the Ks and so on and so on.

One of the reasons I loved the K was because everybody was saying they were sooo 'old lady', including old ladies. My mother and her friends (UK/France) were from the gen that hated the snip-snap, hard-sided handbags of their mothers. I remember all my mother's hobos, big soft shoppers and Chanel chain bags. When I was carrying my BBK Sellier in London, an art dealer friend, about the same age as my mother (and Jane Birkin) said how much she "hated those bags". I rather enjoyed everyone young and old hating my Kelly, now every bl**dy influencer has one and made them fashionable.

My mom has always hated the kelly which she called an old lady bag. (I always loved it)
She also felt the same about roger vivier
Like your mom, she carried chanel, gucci, and hobos and other brands.

 

[topglamchic]

With the most respect to you guys, TPF is my influencer!!!!! I am not on social media so I'm not so "influenced." Further, there is such an in depth world view and deep love of all brands that this has been my best influence. I was brought into this world by you guys!!! And thank you!!!!

I am a lover of the Kelly. It is perfectly impractical to get in and out of but, I am one of those, like @Liberté, that favor the impractical.

Also, honestly amongst my friends they wouldn't know a Hermes, not to mention, in my little corner of the world. I don't take my Kelly out (nor any thing for that matter) but, when I do...and when someone compliments, I get the funniest, jaw dropping compliments.

For instance, I wore one of my cute cross-body mini Chanel's (mini bag, so very in trend) to the post office. Since it's a mini and crossbody, I was able to easily , and with style and grace open it and get my credit card. The postal agent (older lady) remarked "OMG how cute, did you get that from Amazon?" And off course, with a huge smile I said, "Thank you, and indeed I am sure there is something similar on Amazon." I was just glad someone liked my bag. My point, in most places, if they notice the bag, they are admiring it, maybe not so much for the heritage leather, the brand, the stitching, the unusual color, how beautiful it looks in the light etc, etc. but, just because its beautiful and you are wearing it beautifully. I'm sure we are influencers as well!!!!

 

[happylittlegirl]

It costs as much as a Birkin so people who'd want just one Hermès bag usually go for what the brand is famous for. It also probably takes as long to make so H wants to redirect those man-hours to make something more people would buy.

When Leila Menchari was still in charge of the windows at FSH, various Plumes would always be featured on display alongside HACs. She took advantage of the big front and back panels to put embroidered, feathered, reptilian, metallic, floral surfaces on them.

I love that the plume is not as popular. They go for much less than retail on the second hand market. Such a beautiful bag!

 

[Pamela Stylepop]

Contrary to what has been shared by posters, the Kelly is still one of the chicest bags to own
& carry, JMO
Personally have never been caught up with all these influencers. I take more than half of what
they say & do with a grain of salt.
Most bags have peaks & valleys over time... the Kelly has a pedigree like no other bag
& I love wearing mine & seeing others wear theirs

I'm exactly the same, I get such Joy seeing a Kelly out "in the wild" I always have to tell my husband, "Did you see that beautiful Kelly?" He doesn't care much but let's me tell him the colour, the size etc. He's a patient soul!

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

I'm exactly the same, I get such Joy seeing a Kelly out "in the wild" I always have to tell my husband, "Did you see that beautiful Kelly?" He doesn't care much but let's me tell him the colour, the size etc. He's a patient soul!

Sounds like mine...
Except mine has now been brainwashed and he sometimes spots them before I do

 

[peppermint_tea]

Guilty as charged here! I'm someone who was 'influenced' by a Youtuber. She was showing her bag collection and I had to hit pause when she showed the Kelly. It was the most beautiful elegant bag I've ever seen in my life! I know it sounds dramatic but I mean it. And with Hermes tFP member being so knowledgeable, encouraging and sharing (especially all those wonderful photos!), it's easy to be also influenced by tFP members!

Though, I can see why overexposure or exposure in a certain way can turn off the magic. It's like the Chanel Classic Flap for me. Everywhere I went, it was there, worn by so many people at the same time. It was like the influencers' reality became actual reality in real life. Surprisingly, I don't see BKC as much. It's super exciting when I see one in the wild. It makes me wonder, as other members mentioned before, if some (or many) were borrowed/bought and returned for photo ops. I'm sure it doesn't help that the influencers feel the need to be current, cool and having some sort of FOMO. Also, H being much more exposed, so many more people recognize the bags. But I do have to add, the stares from other Hermes lovers/customers are usually the most intense! Even for my dear little Picotin. LOL.

Although I've started with being influenced, I'm glad I've discovered the world of H. Thank you Youtuber and tFP members for influencing me to my new obssession, I mean love.

 

[papertiger]

Guilty as charged here! I'm someone who was 'influenced' by a Youtuber. She was showing her bag collection and I had to hit pause when she showed the Kelly. It was the most beautiful elegant bag I've ever seen in my life! I know it sounds dramatic but I mean it. And with Hermes tFP member being so knowledgeable, encouraging and sharing (especially all those wonderful photos!), it's easy to be also influenced by tFP members!

Though, I can see why overexposure or exposure in a certain way can turn off the magic. It's like the Chanel Classic Flap for me. Everywhere I went, it was there, worn by so many people at the same time. It was like the influencers' reality became actual reality in real life. Surprisingly, I don't see BKC as much. It's super exciting when I see one in the wild. It makes me wonder, as other members mentioned before, if some (or many) were borrowed/bought and returned for photo ops. I'm sure it doesn't help that the influencers feel the need to be current, cool and having some sort of FOMO. Also, H being much more exposed, so many more people recognize the bags. But I do have to add, the stares from other Hermes lovers/customers are usually the most intense! Even for my dear little Picotin. LOL.

Although I've started with being influenced, I'm glad I've discovered the world of H. Thank you Youtuber and tFP members for influencing me to my new obssession, I mean love.

Exactly, everyone have to start somewhere.

As I said before, Hermes makeup reviews were really useful for me.

 

[Deneuveness]

More Leia Sfez... Love her.

 

[redwings]

I didn’t bite on the Birkin despite the social hype via magazines back then and then YouTube. Maybe because I am plain lazy and like to sling things across my body.

My late mother had a Kelly (she was a big fan of Grace Kelly’s style too - one can say the late Grace Kelly was my mom’s influencer) and I guess the Kelly bug rubbed off me, which might explain why I like the 32s and 35s. Then again, maybe I am lazy and like to chuck a lot of stuff in my bags without thinking of a need to switch my wallet to a smaller card holder.

 

[lvstratus]

Want to share this story because it proves we all need to take everything influencers say with a pinch of salt.
Most of them not only fake their lifestyles, but also a whole new persona in order to create an "allure" that their audiences so desperately crave for.

This UK based influencer, who has a massive Youtube audience, got on the Hermès bandwagon in recent years. She argues that only Hermès "fulfills her" (despite having no clue about other leathers than togo/epsom ), and since then she has been able to build a "small" but well curated collection.
The episode I'm referring to concerns a b25 sellier in noir.
When she first shared the bag on her channel, she pointed out that her SA had dispatched the bag and it had been delivered by a courier. At the time, this was a major red flag because rules in London are very strict: clients need to go in store to collect the bags (exception made during lockdown).
Fast forward, in one of her latest videos, someone in the comments section brought this up again, and to my surprise (or not!) she changed the whole story by saying she got it from the Luxury Promise vault. Alas!

I have come to the conclusion most influencers who parade their Hermès bags on the internet most likely got the bags from resellers. Nothing to be ashamed of, just don't lie to your audience.

 

[Pamela Stylepop]

Want to share this story because it proves we all need to take everything influencers say with a pinch of salt.
Most of them not only fake their lifestyles, but also a whole new persona in order to create an "allure" that their audiences so desperately crave for.

This UK based influencer, who has a massive Youtube audience, got on the Hermès bandwagon in recent years. She argues that only Hermès "fulfills her" (despite having no clue about other leathers than togo/epsom ), and since then she has been able to build a "small" but well curated collection.
The episode I'm referring to concerns a b25 sellier in noir.
When she first shared the bag on her channel, she pointed out that her SA had dispatched the bag and it had been delivered by a courier. At the time, this was a major red flag because rules in London are very strict: clients need to go in store to collect the bags (exception made during lockdown).
Fast forward, in one of her latest videos, someone in the comments section brought this up again, and to my surprise (or not!) she changed the whole story by saying she got it from the Luxury Promise vault. Alas!

I have come to the conclusion most influencers who parade their Hermès bags on the internet most likely got the bags from resellers. Nothing to be ashamed of, just don't lie to your audience.

Ooh now I'm curious who it is!