Well I assumed that another way of asking this question is :
How many Parisian / French/ European / White Caucasian ( None Easten European — sorry again no offensive here pls.) did you see carrying the H bag around? I hope I don’t offend anyone here. If I do I wasn’t mean to be at all.
Last summer I occasionally took the underground and saw more foreigner ( none french) carrying a branded bag or sometimes even an H bag.( to be fair I found locals in the underground during off -peak won’t be, at least the vast majority , won’t be the market of H anyway.) Last Winter and this summer I didn’t take underground at all but mainly taxi and Uber so can’t comment on this.
As I stayed and spent my lunch with local Frds near FSH often, saw H bags often in the restaurants with locals, some times fine dining Michelin 3 Star restaurants nearby ( I.e.) the Le Bristol some times small Michelin recommended restaurants packed with people work locally —not as far as Bristol from FSH and the pricing ( just to give an idea ) is around 60 Euro for 2 courses per head . Super busy with locals at lunch time, not only did I see many H bag being carried by locals, but also Birkins. Last time the local lady next to my table was carrying a Noir Birkin with Paladium hardwear, with H necklace too - I thought aha, ‘ they do too’, I also saw the restaurant owner’s Wife and her well used picontin. I saw at least one more local with her birkin at the restaurant and a few other H bags.
I think if one sticks around tourist places of course you will see mainly tourists too. But it’s a general saying but not replying to any of the above in case any of you is local Parisian.
Sorry to be OT as I used to work in a European capital where people commute with public transportation to work at rush hours due to lack of time and limited parking space in town. I remembered interesting and similar topics as such and some people said things akin to this. I thought about it and said - well I take that there are far more international students/ high skilled workers ( not limited to Asian or H bag) who can easily afford luxurious Brands with okish family and haven’t established their lives in the big city hence not everyone have a H/ LV / Chanel wants the trouble of owning / selling a car? Others in reality can’t afford a house with parking space in city center but easily a bag? So that you will see far more none local carrying a branded bag in public transportation( underground/ bus/ tram) ? The locals carry it in their cars and how do you see them if you don’t go to events together? Or stay in the same car? ( such as corporate annual balls? And other sort of ball parties?)
And yes there is an element of social class thinking in Europe too — it has a Long establish public image that the luxurious Brands are for ‘ old money’ in Europe. (More ‘ new money’ for the States.) I noticed it really depends on what sort of professioncy for the locals at working place, some places local / white Caucasian tend to carry more branded stuff than other industry at work.
The interesting thing for Asian market is that many countries don’t have a long established social class thing so maybe women are feeling more entitled and qualified to wear branded stuffs? It’s only my guessing but I certainly don’t know every country in Asia so I am aware of people might tell me about in xyz there is a very clear social class thing too. Well noted and I hope I am not going to that far OT. Sorry!
I am only here to report some thoughts but not to separate our lovely members. I am fine with whoever do whatever to their bags and wherever you wear it! Enjoy your bags, ladies.
I almost didn't want to keep reading after the first paragraph. So glad FSH came through for you. Buy the friend a box of Laduree macaroons or some other uniquely Parisian thing. If you hadn't exchanged the bag you'd spent the whole conversation (or at least half of it
) expressing your regret about your purchase decision. B/C it would have -- and quite rightly so -- preoccupied your mind. That bag
was dark. IMO the dark bags are specialty item, no one other than H (so far as I know) makes bags with leather being a changeable color in different lighting. I myself would love a prunoir (black prune) bag but it wasn't and would not be my first choice b/c I like brights, too.
Can I ask how many of those who get a bag in Paris carry it during the rest of their trip? Or do you take it home for its inaugural visit? As I mentioned some time ago, I didn't see anyone carry an H bag in Paris. Dress was casual, jeans, etc., among the populace which may have been one factor.
