Bonsoir! Thank you to all who have shared their stories. I would like to share my personal experience at Hermès Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
***WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD***
DH and I went to FSH on Day 1 around 11:30am. We stood in line for about 40 minutes, there were 14 people ahead of us. Drinks of water and juice were offered as the line was moving very slow. I would say about 80% of the customers were Asians. There were 2 tables occupied by kids on ipads and mobile phones. Empty bottles of water and juice on the counters around us. The atmosphere was pretty chaotic, unlike any of the H stores I've been to. There were a few customers that attempted to ask to see what was in the display cases (evelyne, roulis, halzan) without getting in line, only to be told to get in line. The party of four in front of us were told they were not allowed to take photos by a SA and then again by the security personnel. DH saw someone looking at a B and K, and reported back that they had them in stock. I explained to him that those were probably the sample/display bags that were shown for size reference. He didn't quite believe me, and questioned the validity of this information. The line started to get long, there were 11 people in line after us. Practically everyone in line were on their mobile phones. I made it a point to stay off my phone and take notes so I could report back here.
When it was our turn, a lovely SA asked me what was I looking for. I gave her my wishlist for a B30 or K32, black, or neutral like etain or etoupe. Asked if I would be interested in any other sizes or colors, so I added anything in blue, purple, or bright pink. I mentioned that I already have a B35 and was looking for something smaller. I also didn't have any hardware preference, gold or palladium would both work for me. SA asked for our names, but not our passports. We were told to wait a moment while she went to check to see what they had. I tried to prepare myself to be let down, but this SA seemed nice and friendly, so I was a little hopeful. Next to us, heard a SA telling a woman that she already purchased a B and that she should be happy since many do not get the opportunity to purchase even one. She seemed unsatisfied with his answer, continued to occupy his time, he had to repeat it several times to her.
After about 10 long minutes, our SA came back and we were told they didn't have anything left. We thanked the SA for taking the time to look and I asked if I could see the sample B30 and K32. She said of course and that she would be glad to show it to us and quickly went to grab them from another SA. DH and she agreed that they were indeed a good size for me, which also confirmed for DH that those were the B and K he saw earlier being offered (purple B30 and navy K32). SA asked how long were we in Paris and suggested we come back. I said we were leaving in 3 days and wasn't sure if we had time to come back since we really came for the museums and sightseeing. Overall, she seemed genuine and was very pleasant. DH felt that it was impossible to get a B or K if everyone were there for the same thing. Although I wasn't offered a B or K, I felt satisfied for at least giving it a try. Paris is such a beautiful city, not getting a B or K doesn't take away from how much we looked forward to our time there.
Day 3, 2nd attempt, this time without DH, I arrived 10 mins before the store opened. There was a line of about 8 people at the front door already. I contemplated on leaving, but decided to walk around and admire the window displays. All of a sudden, I noticed someone unlocking the side door indicating the store was open for business. I walked in and was immediately in the leather goods dept. The crowd that were at the front door had made their way into the leather goods dept also. They weren't pushing or shoving, but uniformly rushing to get to a SA. There were many SA lined up ready to assist while the crowd was forming a line. A SA appeared next to me and asked me to follow her, which would've seemed like I cut a few people in line. So I asked if she was talking to me, in case, she wasn't. She indicated she was talking to me and escorted me to another SA.
Once again, I told the SA what I was looking for as it was being written down. SA asked me if I was interested in any of the other bags and suggested we take a look at what was in the display cases. I indicated bags that I already have in my collection, what I liked about them, bags that I've tried on and why it didn't work for me, and the reasons I wanted a B30 and K32. We went over some possible colors that I might like. SA asked for my information, and I offered my passport. We chatted about some of the highlights of my trip, places I've been to, and once again, I was asked how long would I be staying in Paris. She then asked me to wait a moment as she checks if anything is available. After waiting for about 15 long mins, I was asked to follow her to a quieter area. I knew she had something to offer me, but didn't want to get my hopes up too high until I actually saw it with my own eyes. She slowly revealed a B30 with GHW and said she could tell from the look on my face that I liked it very much and guessed that I would take it. We chatted some more and as we made our way to process payment. I asked if the store was always this busy and she replied that they were busiest in the summer and around Christmas due to people taking holiday. I also asked if stock was lowest during August, and was told there are some stock, but less due to the craftmens taking their holidays in July and August, at the same time there are more customers on holiday in Paris during this time. I thanked the SA for making my trip to Paris extra special and memorable.
Overall, both experience were very pleasant. Although the store was very busy, I didn't feel rushed. In case anyone was wondering, I didn't have anything H on me, dressed in denim skirt, t-shirt, and gladiator sandals. I also did not have previous purchase history at FSH.
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