Sounds like swift in retourne will be really slouchy , are you ok with that?
Need help: K25 retourne versus B25
- Thread starter WKN
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Good question! I have a B25 in swift retourne - it seems to be holding out ok. But I never have one (swift) in Kelly. I like the "hand" for swift (soft, velvety even) but I never given much thought about them being slouchy. Whenever I think of Kelly, my first thought has always been: ick ... hard to access content!
I love blue lin too! For me, K or b in a favored color would be exciting in either style, My one hesitation would be the swift leather. Although I like swift in certain bags, I do not find it ages well in a b or k. Many adore a smooshy lived in look, but after owning a 25 b in swift, I realized it is not my preferred leather for this bag style. It all comes down to personal preference. Go see the bag when it arrives, it may just steal your heart. Good luck deciding!
I feel exactly the same way!
That being said, I do have 1 K25 retourne in noir swift leather and that is a bag I do love very much and don't regret purchasing at all. But that's it, I won't add any more Kellys except for mini K in the future. I am most definitely a Birkin girl at heart.
WKN, have you considered Gris Pantin for a B25? I'm hearing it is very similar to Bleu Lin. Someone posted a photo in the Bag Offers thread recently.
Dear Carlinha,
I saw that post and it definitely made me rethink my resistance to Gris Pantin. Very, very silly this - I've not been open to Gris Pantin because of its name despite it being more blue than grey - I would probably snatch it up in a heartbeat if it is called Bleu Pantin instead! By that logic, I should be opened to Bleu Glacier but I am not because the IRL colour is more grey than blue. Hermes has distorted my "blue" compass terribly! Ahah! But thank you for your suggestion, because I am planning to ask my store director for more details on Gris Pantin. She promised that she will keep a look out for a light blue B for me, noting that I am currently in a "light blue" phase!
An update. So, I went to my store yesterday and managed to see bags and SLGs in these colours for comparison: bleu lin (alas, this is in mini Lindy), bleu glacier (SLG), gris platine (bag), and gris pantin (various bags on display - from picotin and GP to constance and Kelly elan). The mini Lindy was in swift, which beautifully presented bleu lin as a colour (it looks so scrumptious like a macaroon). However, I can truly see why people suggested gris pantin as an alternative. It is several shades lighter than bleu lin and of course, it can look different in different leathers. Gris pantin is "darkest" in clemence and lighter in negonda, epsom, and veau madame, in that order. In all, the underlying blue tone is unmistakable. In veau madame, it has this beautiful silver sheen. Unfortunately, no swift or togo but we speculate that it could be darker/darkest in swift in view of its flat surface (just like the photo in another thread) and for togo it could be in between clemence and negonda. I think gris pantin has more blue undertone than bleu glacier, while gris platine is nearer to bleu pale. And now, I am hoping for a gris pantin Birkin in togo PHW, which is more likely to make its appearance than a bleu lin Birkin. My store director and I agreed that I have to leave my bleu lin Birkin dream/obsession for another time, sadly! I will still get to see the bleu lin Kelly when it comes though - I will update when this happens!
Not this year as the colour is not available for an SO - I don't know whether the colour was available as SO in the past. I think it will but the longing will lessen with enough years, based on my experience! We truly hope that the colour will return for Birkins - I checked that bleu lin is available this season but not for Birkins. Perhaps my store's order for a bleu lin Birkin will be fullfilled one day. But in the meantime, I am willing to accept close substitutes!
I personally don't believe in settling for an "alternative" that has never turned out well for me. And especially since the B and K are so vastly different bags. It seems to me you really have your heart set on this B and I guess it's best to wait.
An update: I managed to view the K25 retourne at the store. It was beautiful but didn't make my heart flutter. I was thinking: Oh you gorgeous, gorgeous thing. Why can't you be a Birkin instead? Right colour, right size, right hardware ... but not the right model! I will now wait for a B25 in gris pantin to make its appearance at my store (hopefully this year). And I was also told that if the bleu lin B25 ever come by, it has my name on it!
Thanks for updating us! I feel like as we shop more and longer at Hermes we develop a kind of discerning maturity with regards to shopping. I consider it a collateral benefit haha. Hope you get your heart’s desire soon
I just saw this thread for the first time and even as a Kelly girl, I'm really glad that ultimately you passed! Like others have said, Bs and Ks are so different and this just wasn't what you were looking for.
I am late to chime in but, I prefer retourne as I am super casual. I tried a sellier K and hated it. It felt stiff, access was tough, and it was like wearing a box.
Your dream B will come your way!
Great that you got to see the Kelly and realized it's just not your style. I think you made the right choice to pass on it and wait for a birkin instead