Is it unsafe to carry your Birkin in Downtown San Francisco?

[AnnaE]

I made an appointment next week to come in to VCA because my guilloche pendant is about to turn 1 year old and need to get it extended. If I wait until my next Vegas trip, it will be passed the 1 year mark and I’d have to pay.

My dilemma now is, should I proceed in using my designer bags, clothes, shoes, and jewelry? Or will this make me a target and best to just dress down? I am a SAHM and hardly go out nowadays, so when I get the chance, I like dressing up. Although, I’m so scared to walk the streets of SF attracting attention to myself. Is this just my anxiety? What would you do?

It’s not a dystopian wasteland, you know…

Having said that — jeez, just don’t wear your obvious designer bag and jewelry if you are going and feeling that anxious. Certainly don’t leave them in the car if you take them with you. Presumably, you are going to park close to the VCA store and not exactly wonder around the Tenderloin. You will be 100% fine.

For the record, I only own Hermes bags, so I only bring those every time we go to SF. And 99% of my shoes are Chanel flats. I wear jewelry when we go. I am fine.

 

[AnnaE]

I'm also sad to hear about what's happening in downtown SF. I have family in the Bay Area, and always loved my visits with them around the city - although, it's been close to 2 decades since my last trip. Was hoping to go back again this summer - and also do shopping in the area.... but now I'm not so sure about that.

Just to add, I've noticed changes both in NYC during my most recent trip, and slight changes in my home city, but I still feel comfortable carrying my bags since I'm familiar with the safer areas in both locations. With SF.... my gosh, is it really that bad??

OP, trust your gut. If just thinking about it makes you anxious, you shouldn't wear your items or even visit.

Personally, I would not live in SF (and I don’t) because there are multiple neighborhoods with heavy homeless population quite literally doing drugs on the streets (honestly, the issue is less safety and more… grossness), but the premise that going to a designer store is unsafe is a far-fetched. Yes, there has been a ton of shoplifting, but the actual personal crime rate is very low.

 

[ShoppingGalSF1]

Whenever I shop at the SF store, there are many women wearing their Birkin and Kelly bags. But, I agree with the other folks that you shouldn’t do it if you don’t feel comfortable. It’s an objective concern. Shopping should be an enjoyable experience, not a stressful one.

Robberies tend to be on the rise everywhere including in safer cities like Palo Alto (where a couple got robbed at Stanford in broad daylight) and the South Bay. It happened to a friend of mine in a grocery store parking lot in the South Bay, and she is 70 and doesn’t wear any jewelry or designer bags. It’s really sad that we’re hearing this happening more and folks have to be fearful and hyper vigilant.

The only places I see women comfortably carrying lots of BKCs casually everywhere has been Tokyo and Paris.

 

[chkpfbeliever]

Lots of good advice here and sad to hear that downtown SF had turned for the worst. My last time there was late '21 and I went to the LV store in Union Square. Maybe it was Saturday during the daytime, there were lots of people and I didn't feel unsafe. I even had my B but had it was in a tote as I took the BART from the airport. I know some of those gang robberies happened last year so things must have gone from bad to worst. Very sad since SF used to be one of my favorite cities and I got a B35 as a walk-in years ago and have shopped there whenever I was in town. Crime targeting people carrying premiere brands are on the rise worldwide except for some Asian cities such as Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul as social media helped to spread the knowledge about these brands. Gone are the days when an average Joe only recognizes LV. More people now are aware of the B & K and its high resale value.

I concur that if OP is not comfortable being downtown, it is best to get the extension in Vegas.

 

[herefortheparty00]

IMO San Francisco has become an unsafe city. I would never carry a B there. And ditto to what someone else in this thread said. If you feel unsafe, trust your gut.

Sorry

 

[tinkerbell68]

I carried my B in downtown SF (and various other neighborhoods) last August and in February and, while I remained aware of my surroundings as I would in any city, I never felt unsafe. However, how I felt is irrelevant…if OP feels unsafe, they should leave the H bags and other valuables at home.

 

[tensgrl]

I too am incredibly saddened by the situation in SF. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and SF is my home store. I've contemplated changing to Stanford, but have been with my SA for over 10 years and don't want to start over. When I shop in SF with my husband, I carry a B or K, but we are vigilant as we should be. On the occasional solo shopping trip, I usually wear a Chanel mini crossbody with the closure facing to my body. I dress nicely, but pretty casual and wear a small amount of nice, but not flashy, jewelry. My engagement ring is always turned around while walking purposely. There's a part of me that doesn't want to let those who would harm/rob, keep me from enjoying a day of shopping. That said, safety is paramount and if you are super uncomfortable, maybe wait a bit. I do think it's a bit safer lately, due to higher police presence and city officials finally waking up to the situation. The problem is I hope it's not too little, too late.

 

[BittyMonkey]

I was just down there yesterday, and took the subway. There are a lot of empty stores, and the Apple Store has closed off all of their sliding panel glass doors. There were lots of people shopping and going about their business. So I think a little of the perception of 'cesspool of crime' is a bit off.

SF is always, always like this. SF is a boom and bust town. During times of recession, there is more retail theft, more graffiti, more street drug use. Give it 5 years or so and it'll all be back, one way or another (there is a lot of discussion about how to convert retail space into housing) and then we'll get into our 'we hate tech bros and yuppies' and heartbreaking luxury car shortage phase.

All that said, I never go to Union Square decked out with anything clearly branded or known. I wear a silicone ring on public transportation and yesterday I didn't even carry a bag at all. And yes, I go to Stanford if I want to luxury shop now.

 

[yuukei]

I also live in Bay Area and very recently carried my B when I went to SF. I didn't feel unsafe during the day since I was with DH and two other friends.
However, I have to say if it's not mostly daylight with three other people I'd not bring my B into SF.

I moved to this area last year from another major city which is considered unsafe by most people, but I've never in all my years there had my car broken into. Then my car got broken into six months into living here. The property crime here is just unthought of. I have no idea if it's always been this way but I'd be more cautious and not gamble.

If I can feel more comfortable around shopping in SF, I really do prefer it over Stanford or Valley Fair... but this is the world we live in now.

 

[sf_newyorker]

It saddens me that SF is a city of extremes. I speak from the heart…I was born and raised in SF, visit as often as possible, and follow the city’s politics.

I can tell you about the impromptu encampments dotting some neighborhoods, the easy and profitable theft of car parts, and the blatant daylight armed robberies. But you can read about that. They’re all true. Most people I know who are lucky to own luxury pieces will now not wear or carry them. I usually walk around the city looking as if I’m in the middle of doing three loads of laundry - but I grew up here and know the casual uniform of the city.

Having said the above…SF is beautiful, brilliant, diverse and cultured.

Like traveling about any other major city, exercise common sense, rely on intuition, and activate that situational awareness gene. Go with a friend or two, walk with focus and purpose. If you know where you’re going to park, map out the route you’ll be taking to get to the boutique.

If the day seems off, dress down, wear comfortable shoes, and put your bag in a canvas or reusable tote. Let the bag out when you’re at H.

Apart from the doom and gloom, I hope you enjoy your time out in the Union Square area. As a kid, this was the square of shopping dreams. Let it continue to be yours this week.

 

[momoc]

+1 to all the points everyone has said and I was going to add the suggestion of a reusable tote as cover up, I do that in areas / cities I’m unfamiliar in, but @sf_newyorker beat me to that too! So I will just add that I use these totes from Amazon as they are very roomy, can be shoulder carried easily and folds into a small roll that takes very little space in your H bag when you want to swap them back out! Alternatively I use them to carry my purchases saving orange (or any other noticeable luxury brand) paper bags. And I use them as reusable bags for grocery shopping as intended : https://a.co/d/1fhuSNL

 

[disappeared]

Hello all! Just to report back, I went to my VCA appointment yesterday. I dressed down but carried my black birkin (so it’s more lowkey than my other bright colored bags). I also went with my cousin. We did drive by the homeless encampment about 3 blocks away. Union Square has less foot traffic than what I’m used to, but there is in fact a lot of police presence and security is tight in a lot of the boutiques. We only went to VCA, Chanel, Hermes and NM Rotunda for lunch. We parked at the Union Square garage because there is where I usually park. I can say I did not feel unsafe, but I was extra vigilant while walking in between stores.

Would I go back again? Perhaps, to pick up my necklace. Although, I am more inclined to just have it shipped. I’m very glad none of my fears were realized. I still much prefer luxury shopping in LV. It is just an entirely different vibe.

Thank you all for the input! Sorry for roping everyone into my anxiety-ridden mind!

P.S. I’m quite touched and very appreciative of the kind words that were posted on this thread. I also felt the virtual eye rolls. Haha!

 

[1CC]

Hello all! Just to report back, I went to my VCA appointment yesterday. I dressed down but carried my black birkin (so it’s more lowkey than my other bright colored bags). I also went with my cousin. We did drive by the homeless encampment about 3 blocks away. Union Square has less foot traffic than what I’m used to, but there is in fact a lot of police presence and security is tight in a lot of the boutiques. We only went to VCA, Chanel, Hermes and NM Rotunda for lunch. We parked at the Union Square garage because there is where I usually park. I can say I did not feel unsafe, but I was extra vigilant while walking in between stores.

Would I go back again? Perhaps, to pick up my necklace. Although, I am more inclined to just have it shipped. I’m very glad none of my fears were realized. I still much prefer luxury shopping in LV. It is just an entirely different vibe.

Thank you all for the input! Sorry for roping everyone into my anxiety-ridden mind!

P.S. I’m quite touched and very appreciative of the kind words that were posted on this thread. I also felt the virtual eye rolls. Haha!

Thanks for the update and glad all went well. Yes it was nice seeing the outpour of tpf support, like family coming together.

Please everyone be safe wherever you are. Cheers