Hi guys!
I'd like to share my experience with you after reading everyone's posts here this past week (which thank you for btw, everyone here is super helpful with their input).
I'd been planning a trip to Paris for a while and while it was not my main goal for the trip I had hopes to score my first HAC or Birkin while here. Before leaving New York, I watched a few YouTube videos about people's experiences with the appointment system and getting offered bags. A lot of them were about successes in scoring bags, but also some said they couldn't get appointments to begin with and that chances were very very small to score these highly coveted appointments. I arrived in Paris on Thursday last week in the afternoon and applied for an appointment as soon as I landed. By 10pm I got a rejection email. I tried again the next day (Friday), and the same happened. On Saturday, I decided to visit the Sevres store as I had never been because I wanted to pick up a pair of Izmir sandals for myself to wear this summer. I met a lovely SA in the men's shoe department who was able to find me the exact colour and size I was after. I casually brought up the appointment system to him saying letting him know I had been rejected twice already and that I only had two more chances to get an appointment (that same day for Monday, or Monday for Tuesday). My flight out of Paris is tomorrow morning (Wednesday). He told me it was tough and to keep trying. I didn't expect much from him as SAs are just telling people to keep trying. I went to FSH after to look for a wallet for my mum and also to just have a look at the mothership store. As I met the SA at the wallet area, before I said anything he said 'there is no stock for almost any of the wallets at the moment'. I said that's fine and that I'd still like to see what he did have available, just in case I liked something. The pieces he showed me were not to my liking. Before thanking him and leaving, I asked him about the leather appointments. I told him I was leaving in 2 days and that I had only gotten rejections so far. I told him I already had a Kelly Depeche briefcase in etain and was looking to add another bag to my collection. After talking to him a little about different Hermes leathers, homeware pieces - I think he got the idea I had some knowledge about the brand and was starting to warm up to me. He told me to wait till that evening (Saturday evening) to see if I'd get an appointment for Monday and if not, to try for a walk in by coming to the store at 11am. He also advised me to bring my Kelly briefcase on Monday (which I thought was very interesting - though I didn't bring a briefcase with me on vacation). That evening, I got my third rejection and I was starting to make peace with the fact that maybe this wasn't going to happen for me, and that I should focus on enjoying the rest of my time in Paris. Nonetheless, yesterday morning (Monday) I applied for an appointment at 10:30 sharp for my last day in Paris (today, Tuesday). I then left for FSH and got there at 11 on the dot. I proceeded to the desk where the gentleman at the podium with his iPad asked me if I had an appointment. I said I did not, but that the SA I met on Saturday told me to come in at 11am and let someone know what I'm looking for. He said ok and led me to a seat to wait for someone who would come to assist me. I couldn't believe it. Had I just scored a walk in appointment? While sitting I saw a number of ladies (and a few guys like myself) show up to ask for an appointment and they were turned away, some being handed the infamous QR code on a card to sign up for an appointment. Then, the SA assigned to help me showed up and straight away asked me what I was looking for. I told him I was looking for a bag for travel, ideally a HAC or Birkin in size 40. He asked me to follow him upstairs where he sat me down at a desk and offered me something to drink. He said stock was low, but that he would check for me. I sat there for about 20 mins, giddy that I got an appointment after my previous rejections. He came back and I thought he would ask me to follow him to another private room or something, but he started with 'unfortunately...' and my heart sank. He said 'we have no stock'. I said, 'that's alright, would you perhaps have a Kelly Depeche clutch, I've been on the hunt for one of those too'. He abruptly said 'no, none at all'. I got the impression he did not want to offer me anything and I accepted it and left gracefully, thanking him. He asked me to 'keep trying in my home country' and I said 'alright' and left. I won't lie, I was disappointed. I felt like I had got lucky to get a walk-in appointment, but didn't even get offered anything. But I was grateful to have gotten the chance to have the experience. I went about my day as per plan, have lunch and going to a few other stores. At 8:20pm I get a text saying 'We are pleased to confirm your appointment for tomorrow at 5:25pm at George V'. I was taken aback. Did I just score a second appointment in 5 days? It was on my last day too! Though, I had my concerns about George V seeing as a lot of people have said George V is the smallest of the three Hermes stores in Paris, I was over the moon.
This afternoon I went over to George V and a lovely gentlemen greeted me at the door, checked my passport an asked me to take a seat. While waiting I saw a lady pick out twillies for what I presumed was her new bag and this was confirmed when I saw her leave with a big white bag shortly after, thanking the SA for her 'dream bag'. The SA helping her looked a little stern and I was a bit worried, but also a little hopeful? The gentlemen who greeted me at the door came by to thank me for waiting and that someone would be out to help me shortly. I was praying for someone nice, because after all a lot depends on the SA you get. The manager of the store was assigned to me and she asked me what I wanted. I said I would like a travel bag and was open to a HAC 40 or even a Birkin 40 or a 35 even. She said ok and it seemed like my request was reasonable to her. While we were speaking the SA originally assigned to my appointment arrived and she took over. When I tell you she was the nicest SA I've ever come across, that would be an understatement. She was all smiles, asked me how my time in Paris was going, what I've been eating while here, my favorite restaurants in the city etc etc. She then got down to business and asked me about what I was looking for. I repeated what I told the manager that I was looking for a bag to travel - a Birkin 40 / HAC or Kelly 36 even. She said HACs are extremely hard to come by, but that she would check. She then asked me what colors and I said 'gold, black, navy blue, burgundy, perhaps a dark green / khaki, grey'. She asked me what hardware I'd like and I told her I would like palladium, but that I wouldn't mind gold too. She saw that I was being broad in order to maximize my chances and asked me frankly 'ok but what would your perfect bag look like' - I said a Birkin 40 or HAC 45, Palladium Hardware in Gold. She said okay and went to check for stock. She was back around 10 mins later holding a big box. At this point I almost fainted, but I had to hold it together, because anything could be in that box. 'Please don't be a herbag style cabin bag' I said to myself. While entering the lift I spotted a tiny sticker on the box she was holding and it said Birkin 40. I had to really control my expression so as to not act like a complete freak and tried to keep a very neutral expression on my face while also staying calm. She led me into a private room and put the box on the table. She then said 'I think I may have your dream bag'.... And this is what came out of that box. My dream bag indeed. Do not lose hope is all I will say. No matter how complicated the appointment system, no matter who you end up with as an SA - its important to remember that whatever is meant for you will not pass you by. Good luck to everyone trying to score their dream bags
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Does anyone have experience with such late appointments? Or can we check in tomorrow morning/early afternoon and ask if we can be seen earlier than 6pm?
I was offered a beautiful K28 Gold in Togo with PHW, basically a twin with my B30 but with the practical hands free option 
