Paris trip for Hermes

[papertiger]

Please try to stay on topic. I realise because of the complexity of some of the posts members may veer off but in answer do not 'go there'.

For info and questions on US customs please post on the thread below: post https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/us-customs-discussion-airports-importing.905560/

Detaxing (to US from Europe) https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/best-way-to-detax-after-h-in-europe.178302/

or non-US destinations: https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/does-h-store-paris-wants-to-ship.605014/page-3

For questions relating to prices https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/reference-hermes-current-prices.102567/page-357

For traveling with boxes https://forum.purseblog.com/threads...me-hermes-boxes-when-traveling.1044553/page-5



I will leave this reminder as a sticky because tthis is often a thread that new members (or new Hermès lovers) post on - hopefully temporarily.

 

[pursesandposes]

My experience with my carrier (AT&T) when I travelled to EU recently is they offer combo plans. You cant just get texting vs. data. It's a combination of voice, text and data for additional $40 (minimum) then it goes up from there if you want more minutes/text/data.

As I understand you don't have a phone they will give you a fixed hour. Please correct me if I am wrong

@Antonio Loredo In some ways, having a fixed appt time would be so much easier!

@kathydep Thanks! I was considering getting the AT&T combo package, too.

If anyone else has any insights/advice on whether we could get away with having data only (versus getting a combo cellular and data plan) that would be great! We are open to getting both, just curious to hear how accommodating FSH is to international shoppers who might have cellular/texting.

Thanks!!

 

[MoodieFoodie]

OMG! Why am I still with AT&T? This is amazing!

We switched from AT&T also lol! We had this same free Texting & Data in Turkey with TMobile [emoji4]

 

[hbr]

Ooooo so pretty

Thanks dear [emoji8]

 

[hbr]

I wanted to share my shopping experience at FSH.

A few friends and I arrived on Saturday at noon and saw no one in either queue. We walked up to a hostess in leather goods who told us there were no appointments for the day. I wasn’t fussed about this. I thanked her, told her I would look at scarves for now and come back on Monday. I also asked whether appointments could be made with a specific SA as my U.S. SA had recommended a few folks. She said of course.

After about 10 minutes of looking at scarves, the same hostess approached me and asked for my information. She said, as luck would have it, they had an appointment in the next 5 minutes. Yay!

We were met by a SA and he was lovely. I didn’t feel rushed at all – we chatted for about 10 minutes and I gave him a wish list of 4 bags. I further explained that my top 2 choices were a Double Sens (in blue and neutral) and a 32 Kelly (in a neutral color). For the Kelly, he asked about leather preferences. I mentioned that I wanted something a bit more casual (more togo leather than epson). He left us with champagne and water and went to check stock.

He came back with 2 boxes and said “one I can show you here, the other I’ll show you in a room.” I started to get super excited! Box 1 contained a Double Sens 45cm in Blue Abyss and Gold. It was perfect! He then led us to a private room and opened box 2 containing . . . a Kelly Retourne 32 cm in Origan/Oregano Veau Evercolor. It was magnificent! I typically don’t go for light color bags, but this was the perfect grey-olive green and shows beautifully on the evercolor leather. I wasn’t as familiar with evercolor, so had to do a quick search on PF. Thanks to all here who have reported on yours!

The price difference between the US and Paris is astounding.
· My bag is $10,600 before tax when purchased in the US. I live in SF, so with tax it’d be $11,527.50.
· In Paris, the bag is €7,350. With current exchange rates (€1 = $1.06), my bag comes in at $7791 USD. That’s a price difference of $3,737, which is further increased by my VAT refund.

I’m delighted by the bag and the sublime shopping experience. I’m also left wondering, why don’t I just visit Paris once or twice a year and buy bags?

Thanks for letting me share!View attachment 3532116

Congratulations!! Was meant to be! Beautiful color! Enjoy

 

[chica727]

I wanted to share my shopping experience at FSH.

A few friends and I arrived on Saturday at noon and saw no one in either queue. We walked up to a hostess in leather goods who told us there were no appointments for the day. I wasn’t fussed about this. I thanked her, told her I would look at scarves for now and come back on Monday. I also asked whether appointments could be made with a specific SA as my U.S. SA had recommended a few folks. She said of course.

After about 10 minutes of looking at scarves, the same hostess approached me and asked for my information. She said, as luck would have it, they had an appointment in the next 5 minutes. Yay!

We were met by a SA and he was lovely. I didn’t feel rushed at all – we chatted for about 10 minutes and I gave him a wish list of 4 bags. I further explained that my top 2 choices were a Double Sens (in blue and neutral) and a 32 Kelly (in a neutral color). For the Kelly, he asked about leather preferences. I mentioned that I wanted something a bit more casual (more togo leather than epson). He left us with champagne and water and went to check stock.

He came back with 2 boxes and said “one I can show you here, the other I’ll show you in a room.” I started to get super excited! Box 1 contained a Double Sens 45cm in Blue Abyss and Gold. It was perfect! He then led us to a private room and opened box 2 containing . . . a Kelly Retourne 32 cm in Origan/Oregano Veau Evercolor. It was magnificent! I typically don’t go for light color bags, but this was the perfect grey-olive green and shows beautifully on the evercolor leather. I wasn’t as familiar with evercolor, so had to do a quick search on PF. Thanks to all here who have reported on yours!

The price difference between the US and Paris is astounding.
· My bag is $10,600 before tax when purchased in the US. I live in SF, so with tax it’d be $11,527.50.
· In Paris, the bag is €7,350. With current exchange rates (€1 = $1.06), my bag comes in at $7791 USD. That’s a price difference of $3,737, which is further increased by my VAT refund.

I’m delighted by the bag and the sublime shopping experience. I’m also left wondering, why don’t I just visit Paris once or twice a year and buy bags?

Thanks for letting me share!View attachment 3532116

Whata gorgeous find. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Now i can justify going to Paris for bags. Hopefully, hubby would be as inclined.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using PurseForum mobile app

 

[princesscathryn]

So exciting to continue to read everyone's stories here! Thanks to all for sharing your experiences (both positive and negative), as it's been super helpful to read through everything.

My husband and I are officially going to Paris next month! Will be sure to share my experiences, and thanks in advance to everyone who's been a fount of information on this thread!

I still have a quick question regarding the logistics of getting an appointment at FSH though. I know that under the new system, you receive a text from the SA with a link so that you can refresh your appointment time in your browser; and you receive another text when your appointment is almost ready. Does this mean that we would have to get both a cellular AND a data plan for our phones in Paris? I have an iPhone, and of course, with just a data plan, someone could iMessage me, but they would have to have an Apple device, too.

I've read two different things on the thread:





For those who have been recently, did you all have both cellular (for texting) AND data (for checking email and refreshing browser) while you were in Paris?

Thanks so much, everyone!

There is free wifi in FSH. If you don't have data you can ask for the confirmation code, you can tell track your appointment status with that code as long as you have wifi.

I used a Vodafone SIM card which can be used in most of the EU countries (except Switzerland).

 

[princesscathryn]

I wanted to share my shopping experience at FSH.

A few friends and I arrived on Saturday at noon and saw no one in either queue. We walked up to a hostess in leather goods who told us there were no appointments for the day. I wasn’t fussed about this. I thanked her, told her I would look at scarves for now and come back on Monday. I also asked whether appointments could be made with a specific SA as my U.S. SA had recommended a few folks. She said of course.

After about 10 minutes of looking at scarves, the same hostess approached me and asked for my information. She said, as luck would have it, they had an appointment in the next 5 minutes. Yay!

We were met by a SA and he was lovely. I didn’t feel rushed at all – we chatted for about 10 minutes and I gave him a wish list of 4 bags. I further explained that my top 2 choices were a Double Sens (in blue and neutral) and a 32 Kelly (in a neutral color). For the Kelly, he asked about leather preferences. I mentioned that I wanted something a bit more casual (more togo leather than epson). He left us with champagne and water and went to check stock.

He came back with 2 boxes and said “one I can show you here, the other I’ll show you in a room.” I started to get super excited! Box 1 contained a Double Sens 45cm in Blue Abyss and Gold. It was perfect! He then led us to a private room and opened box 2 containing . . . a Kelly Retourne 32 cm in Origan/Oregano Veau Evercolor. It was magnificent! I typically don’t go for light color bags, but this was the perfect grey-olive green and shows beautifully on the evercolor leather. I wasn’t as familiar with evercolor, so had to do a quick search on PF. Thanks to all here who have reported on yours!

The price difference between the US and Paris is astounding.
· My bag is $10,600 before tax when purchased in the US. I live in SF, so with tax it’d be $11,527.50.
· In Paris, the bag is €7,350. With current exchange rates (€1 = $1.06), my bag comes in at $7791 USD. That’s a price difference of $3,737, which is further increased by my VAT refund.

I’m delighted by the bag and the sublime shopping experience. I’m also left wondering, why don’t I just visit Paris once or twice a year and buy bags?

Thanks for letting me share!View attachment 3532116

Congrats! How lucky! I wish mine was K32! I was offered a bag exact one week earlier. It's interesting that lately it seems easier to score a bag on Saturdays.

 

[mmh131]

This is stunning, what a beautiful unique colour in a Kelly. Congratulations!!

yes why not planned a trip to Paris every year? You get items at cheaper price and you get to visit this magical city

Congrats on your beautiful Kelly

Congrats on your new beautiful bag! [emoji322]

You are right that it is a large savings. But don't forget that you have to declare it and pay import duty so that will be almost the same as your VAT refund. Still a nice savings though.

This is exactly what I have been doing for several years. I have always gone to Paris twice a year for vacation but since I got into Hermes I enjoy making some purchases there. I have been fortunate with bags. One caveat: it is truly luck if they have what you want. You have to be somewhat flexible about what you will accept. If you want something very specific it is difficult. And sometimes there really is just limited stock. This is why I discourage anyone from going to Paris just to try for a bag. But if you are going anyway, why not? It's fun, you save a bit and you will have wonderful memories whenever you carry her.

Enjoy! [emoji898]

Congratulations, @mmh131! This bag seemed meant to be yours as you had the appointment at the right moment! [emoji106] Enjoy it and your Double Sens too! [emoji6]

Gorgeous bag and color. Congrats!

Congratulations mmh131! Never seen an oregano in evercolor before. It's such a lovely color. Enjoy her in good health.

Thank you all! It was truly luck. The color reads olive, beige or gray depending on the light. I can't wait to get it home and compare it to a bag I have in etain. I'll post pics.

It is my first time in Paris and I love the city, so would happily visit a few times a year. The bags are a bonus

I forgot about import duty -- thank you for the reminder! Still, almost $4,000 in savings is worth it.

Thanks again!!

 

[Scarf and Glove]

Hi all, I got so much information from all the helpful people here and I thought it will only be good to share my experience with you. Here's my story...

My DH and I are currently on our honeymoon, travelling around Europe. We flew from Australia to Dubai and visited Athens, Rome, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Venice, Milan, Manchester and London. We have gone into every hermes in all of the cities and we were declined every time. We tried all different strategies but no success. It has been a very emotionally and soul crushing experience, in all honesty.

Our last hope is in Paris. On Thursday, DH went by himself dressed in a suit and tie (he really put in a lot of effort) with no appointment but was not successful.

Today we queued up at 8am, got an appointment and was served immediately. The SA didn't seem interested to chat with us and we knew our chances were slim and sure enough we got told the usual rejection line... "Sorry we do not have delivery on Saturday. Only expecting a delivery next month". We were absolutely devastated. It sort of ruined our day and we just went for a quiet lunch after that.

I then told DH that I wanted to get at least a Kelly wallet and a belt for him. So we went back to the store at about 2pm. We confirmed the belt and we were passed on to the leather department subsequently. Then we heard there's still appointment available, so we took another appointment for 5pm.

But after 5 mins, we were told an SA can serve us immediately. It's a guy, a very nice guy. We told him it's our honeymoon and my DH wants to fulfil his wedding promise to me by buying me a hermes bag. DH also said the bag is a return for a nice watch I bought for him earlier. All these are true. The SA took down my wish list (Kelly or birkin) and we said we wanted to look at Kelly wallets too.

I found an Epsom sapphire palladium hardware Kelly wallet that I really like. The SA then said he will go and look for the bag while we hang around there. He went for around 10 minutes and came back with a blue agate gold hardware Kelly wallet and asked if we are interested. At this point, we thought our chance of getting a bag was dashed. We said we will stick with the sapphire wallet and then he said he will try his best to get a matching bag (which we already specified on our wish list and the blue sapphire is my favourite colour!).

After 10 minutes, DH saw him walked past from quite a distance away with a big orange box. Our heart stopped and we tried to contain our excitement as we didn't want to be too disappointed again. Then he came with the orange box and told us to follow him.

He brought us into a private room and voila! He brought out a Birkin 30 Epsom blue sapphire with palladium hardware. We were stunned... DH immediately gave the SA a big hug and tears rolled off my eyes. I didn't know I would cry for a bag but after all the effort and the hardship we went through to buy one, I think I was overwhelmed.

It was indeed quite a journey. After going through the experience with DH, the bag means much much more to both of us than just a bag.

Presenting ms birkin in Bleu sapphire

So very sorry you had so many rejections, but delighted you finally achieved your objective! Congratulations on your marriage, and wonderful honeymoon-wishing you a lifetime of happiness together!

 

[Scarf and Glove]

I arrived in Paris Wednesday morning checking into my hotel around noon. As luck would have it I'm staying around the corner from the George V boutique. I had planned to go to FSH but figured I should give George V a shot before descending into the madness. However, I was adamant that I was not standing in line outside in the cold for hours or buying a bunch of stuff I didn't want.

As soon as I arrived a greeter asked me how they could help me. I informed her I was looking for a watch. She asked me to wait a few minutes for someone to become available. Less than 5 minutes later a lovely young lady introduced herself and asked how she could help me. I told her I wanted a watch so she took me upstairs to the jewelry area. She was very thorough explaining the pros and cons of the model I chose and benefits of other styles. She took her time and was very perceptive about my style and preferences.

After I settled on the watch I said oh by the way I'd also like a bag. Without batting an eye she asked my name and pulled up my purchase history on her phone. She asked me for the specs and I told her my size and color preferences. She suggested colors based on my current collection and I agreed with her recommendation which was on my list anyway. When she returned she had a box with the exact bag I wanted.

Although I'd had relatively pleasant experiences at FSH this one was far and away more relaxed and personal and what I've come to expect when dealing with a high-end retailer. It was a sublime experience and I hope to see her again in the future. So there's hope at George V.

Congratulations- sounds like a lovely experience. I avoided George V for many years, but had very pleasant service when I finally went there.

 

[LadyCupid]

I wanted to share my shopping experience at FSH.

A few friends and I arrived on Saturday at noon and saw no one in either queue. We walked up to a hostess in leather goods who told us there were no appointments for the day. I wasn’t fussed about this. I thanked her, told her I would look at scarves for now and come back on Monday. I also asked whether appointments could be made with a specific SA as my U.S. SA had recommended a few folks. She said of course.

After about 10 minutes of looking at scarves, the same hostess approached me and asked for my information. She said, as luck would have it, they had an appointment in the next 5 minutes. Yay!

We were met by a SA and he was lovely. I didn’t feel rushed at all – we chatted for about 10 minutes and I gave him a wish list of 4 bags. I further explained that my top 2 choices were a Double Sens (in blue and neutral) and a 32 Kelly (in a neutral color). For the Kelly, he asked about leather preferences. I mentioned that I wanted something a bit more casual (more togo leather than epson). He left us with champagne and water and went to check stock.

He came back with 2 boxes and said “one I can show you here, the other I’ll show you in a room.” I started to get super excited! Box 1 contained a Double Sens 45cm in Blue Abyss and Gold. It was perfect! He then led us to a private room and opened box 2 containing . . . a Kelly Retourne 32 cm in Origan/Oregano Veau Evercolor. It was magnificent! I typically don’t go for light color bags, but this was the perfect grey-olive green and shows beautifully on the evercolor leather. I wasn’t as familiar with evercolor, so had to do a quick search on PF. Thanks to all here who have reported on yours!

The price difference between the US and Paris is astounding.
· My bag is $10,600 before tax when purchased in the US. I live in SF, so with tax it’d be $11,527.50.
· In Paris, the bag is €7,350. With current exchange rates (€1 = $1.06), my bag comes in at $7791 USD. That’s a price difference of $3,737, which is further increased by my VAT refund.

I’m delighted by the bag and the sublime shopping experience. I’m also left wondering, why don’t I just visit Paris once or twice a year and buy bags?

Thanks for letting me share!View attachment 3532116

Congratulations!! I love reading your story too. So was the SA you met one of the folks your US SA's recommended? I wonder if they really do not have an appointment slot or that is just an excuse.

I wonder the same thing too since the savings is so much you can practically buy tickets to fly there. Things in USA are so expensive compare to the Europe.

 

[Gina123]

I wanted to share my shopping experience at FSH.

A few friends and I arrived on Saturday at noon and saw no one in either queue. We walked up to a hostess in leather goods who told us there were no appointments for the day. I wasn’t fussed about this. I thanked her, told her I would look at scarves for now and come back on Monday. I also asked whether appointments could be made with a specific SA as my U.S. SA had recommended a few folks. She said of course.

After about 10 minutes of looking at scarves, the same hostess approached me and asked for my information. She said, as luck would have it, they had an appointment in the next 5 minutes. Yay!

We were met by a SA and he was lovely. I didn’t feel rushed at all – we chatted for about 10 minutes and I gave him a wish list of 4 bags. I further explained that my top 2 choices were a Double Sens (in blue and neutral) and a 32 Kelly (in a neutral color). For the Kelly, he asked about leather preferences. I mentioned that I wanted something a bit more casual (more togo leather than epson). He left us with champagne and water and went to check stock.

He came back with 2 boxes and said “one I can show you here, the other I’ll show you in a room.” I started to get super excited! Box 1 contained a Double Sens 45cm in Blue Abyss and Gold. It was perfect! He then led us to a private room and opened box 2 containing . . . a Kelly Retourne 32 cm in Origan/Oregano Veau Evercolor. It was magnificent! I typically don’t go for light color bags, but this was the perfect grey-olive green and shows beautifully on the evercolor leather. I wasn’t as familiar with evercolor, so had to do a quick search on PF. Thanks to all here who have reported on yours!

The price difference between the US and Paris is astounding.
· My bag is $10,600 before tax when purchased in the US. I live in SF, so with tax it’d be $11,527.50.
· In Paris, the bag is €7,350. With current exchange rates (€1 = $1.06), my bag comes in at $7791 USD. That’s a price difference of $3,737, which is further increased by my VAT refund.

I’m delighted by the bag and the sublime shopping experience. I’m also left wondering, why don’t I just visit Paris once or twice a year and buy bags?

Thanks for letting me share!View attachment 3532116

Many congrats on your bags!!! Glad to hear you had a good shopping experience. And yes, savings are substantial. [emoji106]

 

[Gina123]

Hi everyone! I've been reading through the pages of this forum for the past couple of days and it is making my first trip to FSH next week a pretty anxious one. LOL! I am not exactly looking at a B/K. Any idea of stocks for Constance you think?

Sent from my SM-T813 using PurseForum mobile app

I didn't ask for Constance so I wouldn't know at FSH but I saw an orange Constance at the airport.
Have a nice trip and good luck!

 

[Gina123]

Thank you!! Here's a photo with Colvert next to it. View attachment 3531671

Many Congrats! Enjoy [emoji7]

 

[Gina123]

I was able to purchase a gorgeous birkin 30 gris mouette today! Bought a lot of items and then I was offered the bag

Many Congrats!!! Gris Mouette is a gorgeous color! [emoji177]