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.

 

[ikwong]

Congratulations
What a memorable trip
With such amazing gift

Thank you and yes it was!

 

[SDC2003]

I think I am loosing my patience with H game at my home store. My SA told me that I have to purchase an equivalent amount of a Birkin 25 in order to get one, and since I want one in Black she says I will need to wait another 6 months after I hit the quota to get it.

It's probably easier to just buy one with the exact spec at reseller (although I am paranoid of getting a superfake), or fly to Paris and trying my luck.

So far I have read so many pages on this thread and it seems that getting a black B/K 25 is quite hard. Many gets offered a B/K, yes, and quite a few in size 25, but very rarely a black in size 25. What do you think is my chance if I buy a ticket to Paris just to try my luck at scoring a Birkin 25 in black (or otherwise K25 in black)? Or should I just buy the one with my exact spec at a reseller?

Hello dear, This is just my own opinion but I would not go to Paris just to try and get a Birkin given how hard it is to get a bag let alone the exact bag you want. It is very possible you could wind up with no bag and disappointment that you spent all the time and funds.

You can try the reseller route if you don’t have the patience or want to spend at your local boutique, however, you’ll likely wind up spending close to or the same amount as with the boutique. And as you’ve noted, you are paranoid about fakes so this may not be the best option for you.

Are you at the beginning of a new semester with purchases? If so this is not at all unusual based on what you’ve already read here in tpf to be spending at a 1:1 ratio for a very highly coveted bag. You may have the impression that your experience is a game, but your sa sounds very honest and willing to work with you. If it were me, I’d work with my local boutique. Six months in the grand scheme of things isn’t that long especially if you already have a bag or other bags in your collection. Best of luck!

 

[nymeria]

Hi everyone, sharing quite a detailed post of our whole Hermès experience, so please expect quite a long post:

Been lurking around this thread for a few months now and helped me a lot with getting acquainted with the process. My wife and I had just gotten married and had been planning our honeymoon around Europe with the last leg of our trip being in Paris for 5 days. We have no purchase record with Hermès in Europe, and it would be our first time to visit this store as well.

I wanted to get something extra special for my wife during our honeymoon, and I had always been interested in the brand (more than my wife actually), so trying to get a Birkin, Kelly, or Constance seemed like a natural choice. From the beginning though, I knew not to get my hopes up and accepted that whatever the outcome, we’d still enjoy our honeymoon.

I started by making an appointment on a Wednesday for the next day, but only under my wife’s passport given we land around noon time on Thursday, and I didn’t want to risk not being able to show up in the extremely unlikely case that we both get a morning appointment. As expected, we failed to get an appointment for Thursday. Upon applying for Friday that week, I noticed the header on the website that announced that the store would also be closed the following Monday (in observance of the Easter Monday holiday), which only left us with 2 more days to secure an appointment.

Unfortunately, we failed to secure one on Friday, but decided to pass by FSH after the day’s plans to see if there were any cancellations. We arrived approximately 45 minutes before closing time, and were advised that there weren’t any available slots left for the day. We decided to look at twillies and scarves anyway that afternoon and were assisted by a friendly SA from the scarf section. We got a couple of twillies (also with the slight hope that it would boost our chances a bit) and also chatted with her about the appointment system and how it was unfortunate they would be closed on Monday. She then proceeded to remind us about the yellow vests protests and how most, if not all stores around them would be closed the next day, and how it could be difficult to get to the store with suspension of most public transportation in the area. Our nice SA wished us lucked with our last attempt in securing an appointment for Saturday—we thanked her and left.

That evening, at around 7:45 PM, both my wife and I received text messages from Hermès, but only to tell us that our applications had been rejected. I felt a little disappointed since it felt like our last chance, but of course I didn’t let that spoil the trip since it had already been a wonderful 2 weeks with my wife around Europe.

Saturday came, and as expected, metro stations and roads around our hotel were closed. That gave us a difficult time getting to our first destination for the day (Sainte-Chapelle), which was almost an hour away by foot. At one point during the long walk, my wife suggested for us to pass by FSH since it was on the way, and it wouldn’t hurt to try one more time. Since our SA the previous day mentioned they’d be open despite the protests, we gave it a shot. Arriving Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, we noticed that the shops that lined the usually busy street were all boarded up and closed—it almost seemed like a ghost town. Nearing our destination, we found a lightly armed blockade of police and military, which slightly worried us, but we decided to go around and look for a different route. It was then that we chanced upon the beautiful, but totally unrelated, installation of Le Village Royal called Umbrella Sky Project (something we would’ve totally missed if it weren’t for that blockade). We continued going until we found another route, only to realize that there was another blockade stationed there as well, but this time, I had the courage to ask the military personnel how we could get to Hermès. Just as I muttered the words “Hermès,” a young woman behind the man responded, “Hermès? Please follow me.” and we were promptly escorted along the short and literally empty stretch of road left to the storefront. We chatted with her during the short walk thinking she’d be the one to assist us once inside, but that wasn’t the case and she must have been assigned specifically for escorting customers to FSH. We thanked her for escorting us and she left as soon as we reached the side entrance to check for other customers by the blockade we came from.

The second time entering the store didn’t feel as intimidating as it did the previous day. There were far fewer people that day—a given, with all the deterrents in place. We fell in line behind two women talking to the young lady handling appointments. We were quite worried to hear they couldn’t be accommodated on the spot, but they were assisted in making an online appointment for the following week. When it was our turn, we mentioned how we had been trying to secure an appointment a couple of times already but failed, and asked if there were any cancellations that day. We also brought up how it was our last chance to do so during our honeymoon trip. She checked to confirm that both of us had made appointments for that day, and then proceeded to scroll through her phone/appointments list, trying her best to see if there was anything she could do for us. After a good minute or so (this felt like a really long time since we saw her go through several appointments, checking each of their statuses), she directed our attention to a young SA standing beside her and activated my appointment in their system.

I knew that securing the appointment was only half the challenge, but it got us both hopeful again. We chatted a bit with our SA about the situation outside as well as how we were on our honeymoon. She asked us what we were looking for and of course mentioned Kelly, Birkin, or Constance—in that order of preference. In particular, K25/28, B25/30, or C18, preference of RG or G for hardware (Palladium if it works with the color), in neutrals, dark shades, blues, and some reds on different leather choices. We were then brought to the second floor to a room with two tables to sit and were offered some drinks while we waited. After around 15-20 minutes, our SA came back with 3 boxes stacked on top of each other, though we felt there wouldn't be any B or K given the sizes. She led us to a semi-hidden private room (got us really excited!) and lined the 3 boxes up. She mentioned that unfortunately, given it was a Saturday and the protests were happening around the city, they did not have any new deliveries. She still chose bags she thought my wife would like based on what we told her anyway. The dark blue mini Bolide came out first, which my wife actually found really cute, but incredibly small.

View attachment 4421172

For the next box, our SA said no Kelly or Birkin at all that day, but she found a Constance she thinks my wife would love. She opened the largest of the 3 boxes and presented a Constance Mini, Rouge H color in Veau Monsieur leather and Gold Hardware. My wife's eyes immediately lit up and I knew that would definitely be the bag for her. The size was great on her as I already expected, since she loves cross body bags. The color was also perfect; the dark red shade seemed like a very classic color and worked extremely well with the gold hardware. It was the perfect first H bag for my wife (and a great gift from me haha). My only issue at that time was that I wasn't familiar at all with Veau Monsieur leather, and our SA wasn't very familiar with it either. She mentioned it seemed similar to Box or Swift, and I checked online and found very little on it as well. It was a great texture, as it felt soft yet rigid at the same time, and had a beautiful sheen. The last box was a black Picotin but my wife and I were already fixated on the Constance by that time.

Anyway, here are pictures of the C18 we brought home!

View attachment 4421174

View attachment 4421177

The color looks different under varying light conditions.

View attachment 4421176

My wife and I thanked our wonderful SA and we chatted a bit more. We also chose a twilly that worked well with my wife's new Constance (any suggestions on how to tie it?). We both had a wonderful experience with our SA and the people working at Hermès FSH. Everyone seemed genuinely helpful, friendly, and nice.

View attachment 4421175
Constance Mini with the Twilly my wife chose for it.

Overall, lessons we learned from this experience were to not give up hope too soon, to not be afraid to ask if you aren’t sure, and to accept how things go. If something is meant to be, then I guess it’ll happen eventually. Knowing the brand (leathers, colors, sizes, models) seemed like it helped and just being genuine and nice should be a given. Also, we my wife and I just dressed in our normal everyday tourist clothes (brands like Zara/Mango/Uniqlo/etc.) and in both days we passed by, SAs treated us very well—I guess it’s all good as long as you dress decently. We heard also from some people that sometimes an SA would take into account the color of your clothes (my wife was wearing red—so it could be true!). Anyway, thanks for reading and sorry for my extra long post!

What a wonderful story! I am so happy you were able to find a gorgeous bag to remember your honeymoon forever with. It is absolutely perfect- wear it well

 

[ikwong]

Hard work & persistent do pay off - Congrats on scoring a wonderful bag for your wife.
I wish my hb is as sweet as you

Thank you and yes it does! Though I feel it involved a bit of luck and good timing too. She hasn't worn it out yet--soon though. The leather seems quite delicate it's a bit scary haha

 

[QuelleFromage]

Hi everyone, sharing quite a detailed post of our whole Hermès experience, so please expect quite a long post:

Been lurking around this thread for a few months now and helped me a lot with getting acquainted with the process. My wife and I had just gotten married and had been planning our honeymoon around Europe with the last leg of our trip being in Paris for 5 days. We have no purchase record with Hermès in Europe, and it would be our first time to visit this store as well.

I wanted to get something extra special for my wife during our honeymoon, and I had always been interested in the brand (more than my wife actually), so trying to get a Birkin, Kelly, or Constance seemed like a natural choice. From the beginning though, I knew not to get my hopes up and accepted that whatever the outcome, we’d still enjoy our honeymoon.

I started by making an appointment on a Wednesday for the next day, but only under my wife’s passport given we land around noon time on Thursday, and I didn’t want to risk not being able to show up in the extremely unlikely case that we both get a morning appointment. As expected, we failed to get an appointment for Thursday. Upon applying for Friday that week, I noticed the header on the website that announced that the store would also be closed the following Monday (in observance of the Easter Monday holiday), which only left us with 2 more days to secure an appointment.

Unfortunately, we failed to secure one on Friday, but decided to pass by FSH after the day’s plans to see if there were any cancellations. We arrived approximately 45 minutes before closing time, and were advised that there weren’t any available slots left for the day. We decided to look at twillies and scarves anyway that afternoon and were assisted by a friendly SA from the scarf section. We got a couple of twillies (also with the slight hope that it would boost our chances a bit) and also chatted with her about the appointment system and how it was unfortunate they would be closed on Monday. She then proceeded to remind us about the yellow vests protests and how most, if not all stores around them would be closed the next day, and how it could be difficult to get to the store with suspension of most public transportation in the area. Our nice SA wished us lucked with our last attempt in securing an appointment for Saturday—we thanked her and left.

That evening, at around 7:45 PM, both my wife and I received text messages from Hermès, but only to tell us that our applications had been rejected. I felt a little disappointed since it felt like our last chance, but of course I didn’t let that spoil the trip since it had already been a wonderful 2 weeks with my wife around Europe.

Saturday came, and as expected, metro stations and roads around our hotel were closed. That gave us a difficult time getting to our first destination for the day (Sainte-Chapelle), which was almost an hour away by foot. At one point during the long walk, my wife suggested for us to pass by FSH since it was on the way, and it wouldn’t hurt to try one more time. Since our SA the previous day mentioned they’d be open despite the protests, we gave it a shot. Arriving Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, we noticed that the shops that lined the usually busy street were all boarded up and closed—it almost seemed like a ghost town. Nearing our destination, we found a lightly armed blockade of police and military, which slightly worried us, but we decided to go around and look for a different route. It was then that we chanced upon the beautiful, but totally unrelated, installation of Le Village Royal called Umbrella Sky Project (something we would’ve totally missed if it weren’t for that blockade). We continued going until we found another route, only to realize that there was another blockade stationed there as well, but this time, I had the courage to ask the military personnel how we could get to Hermès. Just as I muttered the words “Hermès,” a young woman behind the man responded, “Hermès? Please follow me.” and we were promptly escorted along the short and literally empty stretch of road left to the storefront. We chatted with her during the short walk thinking she’d be the one to assist us once inside, but that wasn’t the case and she must have been assigned specifically for escorting customers to FSH. We thanked her for escorting us and she left as soon as we reached the side entrance to check for other customers by the blockade we came from.

The second time entering the store didn’t feel as intimidating as it did the previous day. There were far fewer people that day—a given, with all the deterrents in place. We fell in line behind two women talking to the young lady handling appointments. We were quite worried to hear they couldn’t be accommodated on the spot, but they were assisted in making an online appointment for the following week. When it was our turn, we mentioned how we had been trying to secure an appointment a couple of times already but failed, and asked if there were any cancellations that day. We also brought up how it was our last chance to do so during our honeymoon trip. She checked to confirm that both of us had made appointments for that day, and then proceeded to scroll through her phone/appointments list, trying her best to see if there was anything she could do for us. After a good minute or so (this felt like a really long time since we saw her go through several appointments, checking each of their statuses), she directed our attention to a young SA standing beside her and activated my appointment in their system.

I knew that securing the appointment was only half the challenge, but it got us both hopeful again. We chatted a bit with our SA about the situation outside as well as how we were on our honeymoon. She asked us what we were looking for and of course mentioned Kelly, Birkin, or Constance—in that order of preference. In particular, K25/28, B25/30, or C18, preference of RG or G for hardware (Palladium if it works with the color), in neutrals, dark shades, blues, and some reds on different leather choices. We were then brought to the second floor to a room with two tables to sit and were offered some drinks while we waited. After around 15-20 minutes, our SA came back with 3 boxes stacked on top of each other, though we felt there wouldn't be any B or K given the sizes. She led us to a semi-hidden private room (got us really excited!) and lined the 3 boxes up. She mentioned that unfortunately, given it was a Saturday and the protests were happening around the city, they did not have any new deliveries. She still chose bags she thought my wife would like based on what we told her anyway. The dark blue mini Bolide came out first, which my wife actually found really cute, but incredibly small.

View attachment 4421172

For the next box, our SA said no Kelly or Birkin at all that day, but she found a Constance she thinks my wife would love. She opened the largest of the 3 boxes and presented a Constance Mini, Rouge H color in Veau Monsieur leather and Gold Hardware. My wife's eyes immediately lit up and I knew that would definitely be the bag for her. The size was great on her as I already expected, since she loves cross body bags. The color was also perfect; the dark red shade seemed like a very classic color and worked extremely well with the gold hardware. It was the perfect first H bag for my wife (and a great gift from me haha). My only issue at that time was that I wasn't familiar at all with Veau Monsieur leather, and our SA wasn't very familiar with it either. She mentioned it seemed similar to Box or Swift, and I checked online and found very little on it as well. It was a great texture, as it felt soft yet rigid at the same time, and had a beautiful sheen. The last box was a black Picotin but my wife and I were already fixated on the Constance by that time.

Anyway, here are pictures of the C18 we brought home!

View attachment 4421174

View attachment 4421177

The color looks different under varying light conditions.

View attachment 4421176

My wife and I thanked our wonderful SA and we chatted a bit more. We also chose a twilly that worked well with my wife's new Constance (any suggestions on how to tie it?). We both had a wonderful experience with our SA and the people working at Hermès FSH. Everyone seemed genuinely helpful, friendly, and nice.

View attachment 4421175
Constance Mini with the Twilly my wife chose for it.

Overall, lessons we learned from this experience were to not give up hope too soon, to not be afraid to ask if you aren’t sure, and to accept how things go. If something is meant to be, then I guess it’ll happen eventually. Knowing the brand (leathers, colors, sizes, models) seemed like it helped and just being genuine and nice should be a given. Also, we my wife and I just dressed in our normal everyday tourist clothes (brands like Zara/Mango/Uniqlo/etc.) and in both days we passed by, SAs treated us very well—I guess it’s all good as long as you dress decently. We heard also from some people that sometimes an SA would take into account the color of your clothes (my wife was wearing red—so it could be true!). Anyway, thanks for reading and sorry for my extra long post!

Rouge H! What a treasure Congratulations!

 

[PJW5813]

I think I am loosing my patience with H game at my home store. My SA told me that I have to purchase an equivalent amount of a Birkin 25 in order to get one, and since I want one in Black she says I will need to wait another 6 months after I hit the quota to get it.

It's probably easier to just buy one with the exact spec at reseller (although I am paranoid of getting a superfake), or fly to Paris and trying my luck.

So far I have read so many pages on this thread and it seems that getting a black B/K 25 is quite hard. Many gets offered a B/K, yes, and quite a few in size 25, but very rarely a black in size 25. What do you think is my chance if I buy a ticket to Paris just to try my luck at scoring a Birkin 25 in black (or otherwise K25 in black)? Or should I just buy the one with my exact spec at a reseller?

SDC2003 is right, just going to Paris is more likely to end is disappointment rather than joy.
Not for any conspiracy reasons, but the chances of you getting an appointment that co-incides with a bag of your desired specification being available are not high.
Hermes bags are not mass produced items. Even a flagship store will not have a stockroom with all the popular variation available - it just does not work like that.
You are wise to be wary about being played, but if you judge your SA to be being honest with you and you keep your wits about you and do not spend, spend, spend without any real assurance - surely it is better to spend the equivalent to a thrown away reseller premium on some other lovely Hermes items that blindly go down the reseller route.

From what has been written on this forum it appears that the Asian stores seem to be more up front about spend this to get that, than in the west where we still think it is a bit dirty to talk about money.

 

[classybags4ever]

I think I am loosing my patience with H game at my home store. My SA told me that I have to purchase an equivalent amount of a Birkin 25 in order to get one, and since I want one in Black she says I will need to wait another 6 months after I hit the quota to get it.

It's probably easier to just buy one with the exact spec at reseller (although I am paranoid of getting a superfake), or fly to Paris and trying my luck.

So far I have read so many pages on this thread and it seems that getting a black B/K 25 is quite hard. Many gets offered a B/K, yes, and quite a few in size 25, but very rarely a black in size 25. What do you think is my chance if I buy a ticket to Paris just to try my luck at scoring a Birkin 25 in black (or otherwise K25 in black)? Or should I just buy the one with my exact spec at a reseller?

Paris has been my strategy 100%. I do not support or buy from resellers. IMO, they charge ridiculous premiums, and I don't want to support resellers buying up stock from Hermes that could (should) otherwise go to genuine clients like me. Hermes claims they don't want to sell to resellers but can't they figure out they are obviously doing that! How else do these resellers get brand new Hermes bags on their sites regularly? Sadly, the "special" clients who spend a lot at Hermes stores are likely resellers. So, I do not support them.

Home boutique will be way more expensive than getting lucky in Paris, plus you don't know if they will even offer you a bag after $X spend.

I've been very lucky at Paris (twice!), and I know not everyone has, so keep in mind I am coming from the perspective of someone who has lucked out. But this is the way I see it, it's Paris, it's worth a million trips just to visit the amazing city.
I recommend you open up to being more flexible on size and color though. I would have accepted pretty much any color except the few I really don't like (like yellow).

 

[showgratitude]

I think I am loosing my patience with H game at my home store. My SA told me that I have to purchase an equivalent amount of a Birkin 25 in order to get one, and since I want one in Black she says I will need to wait another 6 months after I hit the quota to get it.

It's probably easier to just buy one with the exact spec at reseller (although I am paranoid of getting a superfake), or fly to Paris and trying my luck.

So far I have read so many pages on this thread and it seems that getting a black B/K 25 is quite hard. Many gets offered a B/K, yes, and quite a few in size 25, but very rarely a black in size 25. What do you think is my chance if I buy a ticket to Paris just to try my luck at scoring a Birkin 25 in black (or otherwise K25 in black)? Or should I just buy the one with my exact spec at a reseller?

If you are paranoid about getting superfakes, then, you will have to get your bag only from H. Of course you will have to be patient and build a good relationship with your SA.
It is good that your SA is straightforward with you and she told you what you need to do to get the B that you like.
If you can afford it and take a risk though, go to Paris and try scoring a bag. You know that there are no guarantees that you will be sold one though.

 

[bellebellebelle19]

Hi everyone, sharing quite a detailed post of our whole Hermès experience, so please expect quite a long post:

Been lurking around this thread for a few months now and helped me a lot with getting acquainted with the process. My wife and I had just gotten married and had been planning our honeymoon around Europe with the last leg of our trip being in Paris for 5 days. We have no purchase record with Hermès in Europe, and it would be our first time to visit this store as well.

I wanted to get something extra special for my wife during our honeymoon, and I had always been interested in the brand (more than my wife actually), so trying to get a Birkin, Kelly, or Constance seemed like a natural choice. From the beginning though, I knew not to get my hopes up and accepted that whatever the outcome, we’d still enjoy our honeymoon.

I started by making an appointment on a Wednesday for the next day, but only under my wife’s passport given we land around noon time on Thursday, and I didn’t want to risk not being able to show up in the extremely unlikely case that we both get a morning appointment. As expected, we failed to get an appointment for Thursday. Upon applying for Friday that week, I noticed the header on the website that announced that the store would also be closed the following Monday (in observance of the Easter Monday holiday), which only left us with 2 more days to secure an appointment.

Unfortunately, we failed to secure one on Friday, but decided to pass by FSH after the day’s plans to see if there were any cancellations. We arrived approximately 45 minutes before closing time, and were advised that there weren’t any available slots left for the day. We decided to look at twillies and scarves anyway that afternoon and were assisted by a friendly SA from the scarf section. We got a couple of twillies (also with the slight hope that it would boost our chances a bit) and also chatted with her about the appointment system and how it was unfortunate they would be closed on Monday. She then proceeded to remind us about the yellow vests protests and how most, if not all stores around them would be closed the next day, and how it could be difficult to get to the store with suspension of most public transportation in the area. Our nice SA wished us lucked with our last attempt in securing an appointment for Saturday—we thanked her and left.

That evening, at around 7:45 PM, both my wife and I received text messages from Hermès, but only to tell us that our applications had been rejected. I felt a little disappointed since it felt like our last chance, but of course I didn’t let that spoil the trip since it had already been a wonderful 2 weeks with my wife around Europe.

Saturday came, and as expected, metro stations and roads around our hotel were closed. That gave us a difficult time getting to our first destination for the day (Sainte-Chapelle), which was almost an hour away by foot. At one point during the long walk, my wife suggested for us to pass by FSH since it was on the way, and it wouldn’t hurt to try one more time. Since our SA the previous day mentioned they’d be open despite the protests, we gave it a shot. Arriving Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, we noticed that the shops that lined the usually busy street were all boarded up and closed—it almost seemed like a ghost town. Nearing our destination, we found a lightly armed blockade of police and military, which slightly worried us, but we decided to go around and look for a different route. It was then that we chanced upon the beautiful, but totally unrelated, installation of Le Village Royal called Umbrella Sky Project (something we would’ve totally missed if it weren’t for that blockade). We continued going until we found another route, only to realize that there was another blockade stationed there as well, but this time, I had the courage to ask the military personnel how we could get to Hermès. Just as I muttered the words “Hermès,” a young woman behind the man responded, “Hermès? Please follow me.” and we were promptly escorted along the short and literally empty stretch of road left to the storefront. We chatted with her during the short walk thinking she’d be the one to assist us once inside, but that wasn’t the case and she must have been assigned specifically for escorting customers to FSH. We thanked her for escorting us and she left as soon as we reached the side entrance to check for other customers by the blockade we came from.

The second time entering the store didn’t feel as intimidating as it did the previous day. There were far fewer people that day—a given, with all the deterrents in place. We fell in line behind two women talking to the young lady handling appointments. We were quite worried to hear they couldn’t be accommodated on the spot, but they were assisted in making an online appointment for the following week. When it was our turn, we mentioned how we had been trying to secure an appointment a couple of times already but failed, and asked if there were any cancellations that day. We also brought up how it was our last chance to do so during our honeymoon trip. She checked to confirm that both of us had made appointments for that day, and then proceeded to scroll through her phone/appointments list, trying her best to see if there was anything she could do for us. After a good minute or so (this felt like a really long time since we saw her go through several appointments, checking each of their statuses), she directed our attention to a young SA standing beside her and activated my appointment in their system.

I knew that securing the appointment was only half the challenge, but it got us both hopeful again. We chatted a bit with our SA about the situation outside as well as how we were on our honeymoon. She asked us what we were looking for and of course mentioned Kelly, Birkin, or Constance—in that order of preference. In particular, K25/28, B25/30, or C18, preference of RG or G for hardware (Palladium if it works with the color), in neutrals, dark shades, blues, and some reds on different leather choices. We were then brought to the second floor to a room with two tables to sit and were offered some drinks while we waited. After around 15-20 minutes, our SA came back with 3 boxes stacked on top of each other, though we felt there wouldn't be any B or K given the sizes. She led us to a semi-hidden private room (got us really excited!) and lined the 3 boxes up. She mentioned that unfortunately, given it was a Saturday and the protests were happening around the city, they did not have any new deliveries. She still chose bags she thought my wife would like based on what we told her anyway. The dark blue mini Bolide came out first, which my wife actually found really cute, but incredibly small.

View attachment 4421172

For the next box, our SA said no Kelly or Birkin at all that day, but she found a Constance she thinks my wife would love. She opened the largest of the 3 boxes and presented a Constance Mini, Rouge H color in Veau Monsieur leather and Gold Hardware. My wife's eyes immediately lit up and I knew that would definitely be the bag for her. The size was great on her as I already expected, since she loves cross body bags. The color was also perfect; the dark red shade seemed like a very classic color and worked extremely well with the gold hardware. It was the perfect first H bag for my wife (and a great gift from me haha). My only issue at that time was that I wasn't familiar at all with Veau Monsieur leather, and our SA wasn't very familiar with it either. She mentioned it seemed similar to Box or Swift, and I checked online and found very little on it as well. It was a great texture, as it felt soft yet rigid at the same time, and had a beautiful sheen. The last box was a black Picotin but my wife and I were already fixated on the Constance by that time.

Anyway, here are pictures of the C18 we brought home!

View attachment 4421174

View attachment 4421177

The color looks different under varying light conditions.

View attachment 4421176

My wife and I thanked our wonderful SA and we chatted a bit more. We also chose a twilly that worked well with my wife's new Constance (any suggestions on how to tie it?). We both had a wonderful experience with our SA and the people working at Hermès FSH. Everyone seemed genuinely helpful, friendly, and nice.

View attachment 4421175
Constance Mini with the Twilly my wife chose for it.

Overall, lessons we learned from this experience were to not give up hope too soon, to not be afraid to ask if you aren’t sure, and to accept how things go. If something is meant to be, then I guess it’ll happen eventually. Knowing the brand (leathers, colors, sizes, models) seemed like it helped and just being genuine and nice should be a given. Also, we my wife and I just dressed in our normal everyday tourist clothes (brands like Zara/Mango/Uniqlo/etc.) and in both days we passed by, SAs treated us very well—I guess it’s all good as long as you dress decently. We heard also from some people that sometimes an SA would take into account the color of your clothes (my wife was wearing red—so it could be true!). Anyway, thanks for reading and sorry for my extra long post!

Incredible bag in a beautiful color and special leather!! Congratulations to you and your wife on your marriage!!

 

[mcpro]

I think I am loosing my patience with H game at my home store. My SA told me that I have to purchase an equivalent amount of a Birkin 25 in order to get one, and since I want one in Black she says I will need to wait another 6 months after I hit the quota to get it.

It's probably easier to just buy one with the exact spec at reseller (although I am paranoid of getting a superfake), or fly to Paris and trying my luck.



So far I have read so many pages on this thread and it seems that getting a black B/K 25 is quite hard. Many gets offered a B/K, yes, and quite a few in size 25, but very rarely a black in size 25. What do you think is my chance if I buy a ticket to Paris just to try my luck at scoring a Birkin 25 in black (or otherwise K25 in black)? Or should I just buy the one with my exact spec at a reseller?

If you're really set for black B 25 I think it's better to get it in reputable reseller so you get exactly what you want.

In Paris it's just by luck , they can offer you one but most of the time yo have to settle what they offer you and besides it's very stressful getting an appointment + the right SA + getting the offer + the delivery for the day .. you may end up of disappointed if you don't get one ..

Goodluck on your decision

 

[DH sucker]

If you're really set for black B 25 I think it's better to get it in reputable reseller so you get exactly what you want.

In Paris it's just by luck , they can offer you one but most of the time yo have to settle what they offer you and besides it's very stressful getting an appointment + the right SA + getting the offer + the delivery for the day .. you may end up of disappointed if you don't get one ..

Goodluck on your decision

Totally agree. Too many variables for you to have any reasonable expectation that you’ll get the exact bag that you want.

There have been plenty of members who posted about not even getting an appointment. If you’re dead set only on B25 in noir, you have a very low chance of getting that exact bag, which is hard enough to get even if you have an existing relationship with an SA at FSH.

 

[Hautedistrict]

Hi everyone, as few here have read earlier this week that I’m in paris and have been trying to score an appointment, now that the drama is over i will share the whole very long story ( notice that i’m shopping for 3 more people so you can imagine the stress):

Our flight was on Saturday morning, so my husband and i both applied for an appointment on Friday and got rejected as expected.

Saturday: we arrived late afternoon, i noticed that george V store is literally 2 mins away, so we checked in and got ready really fast and went. I was interested in the quicker sneakers and found my size got them and got a calvi, asked for few bags but was asked to come again on Monday early morning and try.

Monday: again another rejection so we went to george V at around 11 am, asked for mini kelly or constance, i was shown a verou in an amazing new red color but im not interested in the bag. So we left and went to sevres, no appointment left by the time we arrived, so i looked at other leather goods, i wanted a calvi for my mum and rodeo, i found both and started taking to a SA and explained to her the whole appointment dilemma and she took a wish list from me and suggested that i come back on Thursday afternoon,notice that the store is closed on Wednesday.

Tuesday: another rejection so went to george V at opening time, i was lucky to find a free SA directly so she took my wish list and went to look, she came back 10 mins later with mini constance in cactus, i was about to cry as i have a kelly 25 in vert vertigo and they were too similar, i asked if she has anything else, and she said yes another constance in gris etain with Rghw, of-course i said yes and took it.




Notice that my main goal is to get mini kelly, so i was still trying.

Thursday: yet another rejection, so 8 in total. Woke up really early went to the store, queued and when it was my time i was directed to come back at 1:30( went back and nothing was left).So we went to FSH store and explained yet again the appointment rejections and that we are traveling on Friday, they said come back at 4. By 3:45 i was at sevres for my appointment, she told me that she found something i was praying for a kelly mini, but it was another constance, the exact colour i wanted black with phw, i asked my sister if she wants one and i can take the other, she said yes, so we it bought as well.
Left to FSH, to hunt for the kelly mini, but there was no appointment at all, so we ended up buying towels for my parents as gift.

Thursday evening: both my husband and i got an appointment for Friday, mine was at 10:30, and my husband was at 11:40, he had to explain that we will be going to the airport at 12 so he was coming with me to try to change his time.

Friday: we went really early 20 mins before opening, the first in the queue, so i was served really fast. Gave the SA my wish list, she came back after 15 mins, i knew its not a kelly mini from the box, it was kelly pochette something i didn’t have, she told that she has a kelly mini in ostrich ! I don’t know why she didn’t get it first, by the time she went it was sold!!!!!!

My husband in the other hand was old that they had nothing, even though she told me that they had a kelly 25 ( we wanted one for my sister) so i told him ask for a pochette and he was shown the one they showed me and took it for me.

So back to my appointment, she came back saying that she feels bad and that she got a 25 and hope i liked it, it was the same color as the pochette rose pourpre.
So we got this for my sister, the SA was soo nice and when i asked for the new mosaic bag she showed me so many options, i bought one for my aunt in blue and now i want one for my next purchased.




So now we are back with 5 bags and empty wallets.. thanks for those who was wishing me an appointment, this thread had helped me so much.

 

[azukitea]

Hi everyone, as few here have read earlier this week that I’m in paris and have been trying to score an appointment, now that the drama is over i will share the whole very long story ( notice that i’m shopping for 3 more people so you can imagine the stress):

Our flight was on Saturday morning, so my husband and i both applied for an appointment on Friday and got rejected as expected.

Saturday: we arrived late afternoon, i noticed that george V store is literally 2 mins away, so we checked in and got ready really fast and went. I was interested in the quicker sneakers and found my size got them and got a calvi, asked for few bags but was asked to come again on Monday early morning and try.

Monday: again another rejection so we went to george V at around 11 am, asked for mini kelly or constance, i was shown a verou in an amazing new red color but im not interested in the bag. So we left and went to sevres, no appointment left by the time we arrived, so i looked at other leather goods, i wanted a calvi for my mum and rodeo, i found both and started taking to a SA and explained to her the whole appointment dilemma and she took a wish list from me and suggested that i come back on Thursday afternoon,notice that the store is closed on Wednesday.

Tuesday: another rejection so went to george V at opening time, i was lucky to find a free SA directly so she took my wish list and went to look, she came back 10 mins later with mini constance in cactus, i was about to cry as i have a kelly 25 in vert vertigo and they were too similar, i asked if she has anything else, and she said yes another constance in gris etain with Rghw, of-course i said yes and took it.

View attachment 4421800


Notice that my main goal is to get mini kelly, so i was still trying.

Thursday: yet another rejection, so 8 in total. Woke up really early went to the store, queued and when it was my time i was directed to come back at 1:30( went back and nothing was left).So we went to FSH store and explained yet again the appointment rejections and that we are traveling on Friday, they said come back at 4. By 3:45 i was at sevres for my appointment, she told me that she found something i was praying for a kelly mini, but it was another constance, the exact colour i wanted black with phw, i asked my sister if she wants one and i can take the other, she said yes, so we it bought as well.
Left to FSH, to hunt for the kelly mini, but there was no appointment at all, so we ended up buying towels for my parents as gift.

Thursday evening: both my husband and i got an appointment for Friday, mine was at 10:30, and my husband was at 11:40, he had to explain that we will be going to the airport at 12 so he was coming with me to try to change his time.

Friday: we went really early 20 mins before opening, the first in the queue, so i was served really fast. Gave the SA my wish list, she came back after 15 mins, i knew its not a kelly mini from the box, it was kelly pochette something i didn’t have, she told that she has a kelly mini in ostrich ! I don’t know why she didn’t get it first, by the time she went it was sold!!!!!!

My husband in the other hand was old that they had nothing, even though she told me that they had a kelly 25 ( we wanted one for my sister) so i told him ask for a pochette and he was shown the one they showed me and took it for me.

So back to my appointment, she came back saying that she feels bad and that she got a 25 and hope i liked it, it was the same color as the pochette rose pourpre.
So we got this for my sister, the SA was soo nice and when i asked for the new mosaic bag she showed me so many options, i bought one for my aunt in blue and now i want one for my next purchased.

View attachment 4421797
View attachment 4421799

So now we are back with 5 bags and empty wallets.. thanks for those who was wishing me an appointment, this thread had helped me so much.

thanks for sharing your story, I actually love your mosaique the most, what a brilliant blue color, is it a new bleu? and in epsom leather ? or veau grained Monsieur

 

[steph.m]

Hi everyone, as few here have read earlier this week that I’m in paris and have been trying to score an appointment, now that the drama is over i will share the whole very long story ( notice that i’m shopping for 3 more people so you can imagine the stress):

Our flight was on Saturday morning, so my husband and i both applied for an appointment on Friday and got rejected as expected.

Saturday: we arrived late afternoon, i noticed that george V store is literally 2 mins away, so we checked in and got ready really fast and went. I was interested in the quicker sneakers and found my size got them and got a calvi, asked for few bags but was asked to come again on Monday early morning and try.

Monday: again another rejection so we went to george V at around 11 am, asked for mini kelly or constance, i was shown a verou in an amazing new red color but im not interested in the bag. So we left and went to sevres, no appointment left by the time we arrived, so i looked at other leather goods, i wanted a calvi for my mum and rodeo, i found both and started taking to a SA and explained to her the whole appointment dilemma and she took a wish list from me and suggested that i come back on Thursday afternoon,notice that the store is closed on Wednesday.

Tuesday: another rejection so went to george V at opening time, i was lucky to find a free SA directly so she took my wish list and went to look, she came back 10 mins later with mini constance in cactus, i was about to cry as i have a kelly 25 in vert vertigo and they were too similar, i asked if she has anything else, and she said yes another constance in gris etain with Rghw, of-course i said yes and took it.

View attachment 4421800


Notice that my main goal is to get mini kelly, so i was still trying.

Thursday: yet another rejection, so 8 in total. Woke up really early went to the store, queued and when it was my time i was directed to come back at 1:30( went back and nothing was left).So we went to FSH store and explained yet again the appointment rejections and that we are traveling on Friday, they said come back at 4. By 3:45 i was at sevres for my appointment, she told me that she found something i was praying for a kelly mini, but it was another constance, the exact colour i wanted black with phw, i asked my sister if she wants one and i can take the other, she said yes, so we it bought as well.
Left to FSH, to hunt for the kelly mini, but there was no appointment at all, so we ended up buying towels for my parents as gift.

Thursday evening: both my husband and i got an appointment for Friday, mine was at 10:30, and my husband was at 11:40, he had to explain that we will be going to the airport at 12 so he was coming with me to try to change his time.

Friday: we went really early 20 mins before opening, the first in the queue, so i was served really fast. Gave the SA my wish list, she came back after 15 mins, i knew its not a kelly mini from the box, it was kelly pochette something i didn’t have, she told that she has a kelly mini in ostrich ! I don’t know why she didn’t get it first, by the time she went it was sold!!!!!!

My husband in the other hand was old that they had nothing, even though she told me that they had a kelly 25 ( we wanted one for my sister) so i told him ask for a pochette and he was shown the one they showed me and took it for me.

So back to my appointment, she came back saying that she feels bad and that she got a 25 and hope i liked it, it was the same color as the pochette rose pourpre.
So we got this for my sister, the SA was soo nice and when i asked for the new mosaic bag she showed me so many options, i bought one for my aunt in blue and now i want one for my next purchased.

View attachment 4421797
View attachment 4421799

So now we are back with 5 bags and empty wallets.. thanks for those who was wishing me an appointment, this thread had helped me so much.

Thanks for sharing !!! So is Constance not apart of quota bags?? For example you can get a Constance from George v / Sevres then another B or K from FSH??

 

[Hautedistrict]

thanks for sharing your story, I actually love your mosaique the most, what a brilliant blue color, is it a new bleu? and in epsom leather ? or veau grained Monsieur

Its epsom and the colour is blue zellige, i think it was out last year. I love it so much, the bag is so nice and different, i tried the smaller size 21 in gris etain but i like the 26 more.
I attached modeling picture of both sizes.