Please help a newbie out!

[einertia]

Hello ladies,

I have never bought anything from Hermes but am becoming more and more interested in the brand.
So I visited my local boutique today, it is the second smallest in the world and they had very few items.

My experience was really strange.

I was going in for Chypre sandals, the manager said some clients had been waiting since September (I didn’t believe her), she wrote my name and number on a notepad for their next shipment, saying I would have to wait a while still, then I asked if it was hard to get a Kelly belt, she said no and showed them to me - they’re on my wishlist, which I told her.

Then I asked for the grand theatre nouveau shawl that she didn’t have in the color way I wanted so I tried on another one to make sure the length was what I wanted. I also wanted libre comme pégase but they didn’t have it either.

Then I asked for a mini Evelyne, she said no, I said can I at least try one on, she said yes and pulled one out. She opened the box. and let me try it on and everything only to tell me it was on hold for another customer. I asked if I could get it in any color I want and she said they only get black, gold, étoupe or étain.

And finally I asked about my dream, the Kelly. She said they never get them even for their faithful customers, that I should forget about box leather as they didn’t offer it anymore for the Kelly and that all the shades of blue I liked were seasonal and therefore gone forever now: I asked for bleu de Prusse, bleu lin and deep blue.


Would any of you please share their knowledge and tell me if everything the manager said is accurate? I feel like some of the things she said couldn’t be true, but then again everyone says Hermes is hard to get it…

She also said Hermes doesn’t have a blue in their permanent collection, is that true??

 

[acrowcounted]

Hello ladies,

I have never bought anything from Hermes but am becoming more and more interested in the brand.
So I visited my local boutique today, it is the second smallest in the world and they had very few items.

My experience was really strange.

I was going in for Chypre sandals, the manager said some clients had been waiting since September (I didn’t believe her), she wrote my name and number on a notepad for their next shipment, saying I would have to wait a while still, then I asked if it was hard to get a Kelly belt, she said no and showed them to me - they’re on my wishlist, which I told her.

Then I asked for the grand theatre nouveau shawl that she didn’t have in the color way I wanted so I tried on another one to make sure the length was what I wanted. I also wanted libre comme pégase but they didn’t have it either.

Then I asked for a mini Evelyne, she said no, I said can I at least try one on, she said yes and pulled one out. She opened the box. and let me try it on and everything only to tell me it was on hold for another customer. I asked if I could get it in any color I want and she said they only get black, gold, étoupe or étain.

And finally I asked about my dream, the Kelly. She said they never get them even for their faithful customers, that I should forget about box leather as they didn’t offer it anymore for the Kelly and that all the shades of blue I liked were seasonal and therefore gone forever now: I asked for bleu de Prusse, bleu lin and deep blue.


Would any of you please share their knowledge and tell me if everything the manager said is accurate? I feel like some of the things she said couldn’t be true, but then again everyone says Hermes is hard to get it…

She also said Hermes doesn’t have a blue in their permanent collection, is that true??

Most of what they said was true.

Chypre sandals are indeed difficult to get, especially in a specific color. They generally get snapped up right away and may have an internal waiting list.

Hermes does not have a permanent blue color though Bleu de prusse is a current reissue but SAs aren’t always great about knowing current colors. The only truly permanent colors are Noir, Etoupe, and Gold, as far as I know, though there are others (rouge H, Etain) which are seemingly always around.

Evelyne TPMs are generally held for known clients especially at a small store. They can order whichever colors they think they can sell so perhaps the manager only orders those neutrals, though I highly doubt it.

A Kelly in box leather is probably a push order item which means the store cannot directly order it and are at the whim of corporate to randomly send them one which is rare. As far as them receiving any Kelly at all, that was likely a fib meant to lower your expectations. However the number of bags they get is directly tied to the sales numbers for the store so if they are truly a low selling small store, then they will also not receive many quota bags.

 

[880]

Just wanted to add that wait times can be crazy. Even if you have a great relationship with an SA,
he may go radio silent if he doesn’t have good news or an update.

i think I’ve waited two years for oxymore crystal (still waiting bc apparently there is a world wide shortage)
maybe eight months for some h deco plates ( though I did eventuslly get my teapot and cups)

i was waitlisted for some chypre sandals, but I gave up when DH got his.

it took a really long time and I ended up spending 5X by the time I got my gold B25 sellier
(but to be fair, it was during last summer of almost no stock)

The only way to get some special RTW is to be on your SAs radar when it’s being ordered
or simply lucking out during a visit. If you see something you love, buy it immediately

if you mainly want a few scarves and a bag and don’t want to wait, then honestly h.com and resellers
may be faster and less expensive.

ETA: my home store is Madison Ave NYC, a well stocked flagship

 

[jimmyshoogirl]

The second smallest store in the world?! Wow! Some people shop at some of the larger stores and struggle to get items quickly.

I’m not sure the size of my local store in comparison to others but it took me 2 months to get my hubbys Chypre (43) and about 5 months to get mine (36). Both are seemingly popular sizes at my store.

I’ve been waiting for a b 30 craie with ghw for close to 9 months now. I honestly expect to wait longer because it’s a popular combo.

 

[jbeans]

...that I should forget about box leather as they didn’t offer it anymore for the Kelly ...

Hard to comment on their lack of stock if it's a small boutique, but wrt the above comment I was just offered a box Kelly earlier this month.

 

[jimmyshoogirl]

Isn’t offering more about what the store orders? Or is it different for box? Is box a PO?

I was asking my sa about b35 and originally she told me they only ordered black, etoupe and gold but would confirm with the store director. My sa confirmed with me that this year the sd only ordered black and grays (etoupe and etain) in 35s.

 

[QuelleFromage]

The second smallest store will definitely have a wait list for shoes.

Hermes absolutely makes the Kelly in Box. It is rare and it is a push offer but they are currently made and not impossible to find.

All three colors you cited (great colors btw) have come and gone and come again at various times, so they are not "gone forever".

But, at least, it sounds like the manager was willing to chat and was minimizing your expectations which is always wise.

 

[AnnaE]

Box Kellies (and Birkins) do exist and are not the world’s rarest commodity, but they get offered to known customers.

That they don’t get any Kellies ever — yeah, right… it’s possible their store only gets bags in specific colors, but not very probable.

My guess is once you establish a relationship with an SA, they will be happier to help you. Typically, for something like a shawl, they can simply order it in if from another boutique in your country (or even another country, although it’s a pain for them). They may not be willing to do it for an unknown customer (and I don’t know where this store is, so maybe they have unusual policies).

Here is a thing — if all you ultimately want is a quota bag, just buy from a reseller. Playing the Hermes game is stressful and not worth it, and will cost you more money in the long run.

If you actually like the brand, then shop from the brand and buy what you want and can, but then don’t bring up quota bags right away. Keep in mind you may never be offered a bag you want, or it might take years. If you are okay with that, then keep returning to the boutique.

 

[einertia]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

I live in France and I was thinking that shopping here would be different than Hermes shopping abroad - in Paris it’s all about the appointment system as you all know, while in the rest of the country it seems a little easier as I’ve heard of people who have just showed up at a boutique and had a black birkin on the spot.

I am so very confused.

All I know is I want a pair of Chypre, shawls, belts, Evelyne 16 and with god willing, a tremendous amount of luck and patience, a blue box Kelly.
I don’t even know how to have an SA in France as they just don’t give out their cards. You’ll go buy something, have a nice experience etc but they just won’t give you their cards.

I am going to Cannes for a week next week, want to try my luck there (for Chypre and an SA). I have never had such a hard time shopping, I know it’s part of the game but… how frustrating.

 

[allanrvj]

I live in France and I was thinking that shopping here would be different than Hermes shopping abroad - in Paris it’s all about the appointment system as you all know, while in the rest of the country it seems a little easier as I’ve heard of people who have just showed up at a boutique and had a black birkin on the spot.

You're correct about the black birkin part because a black birkin is kind of like a store's default order. It's easy to sell; someone is always looking for a black birkin. My store, which is in a touristy but tiny European city, can sell and have sold black birkins to walk-ins, including tourists. As long as they have it and someone hasn't asked for it in advance, one can go in and buy it.

A Kelly in blue box, though, for my store, that would be nearly impossible for them to offer it as even a mini Kelly is rarely seen from them.

People who have commented before are correct in that you are better off trying your luck at FSH or buying from resellers.

Also, if your store is just one or two hours away from Paris like Deauville or Lille, you can bet that some customers who have tried their luck and failed at the Parisian stores have also gone to your store in their frustration

 

[einertia]

You're correct about the black birkin part because a black birkin is kind of like a store's default order. It's easy to sell; someone is always looking for a black birkin. My store, which is in a touristy but tiny European city, can sell and have sold black birkins to walk-ins, including tourists. As long as they have it and someone hasn't asked for it in advance, one can go in and buy it.

A Kelly in blue box, though, for my store, that would be nearly impossible for them to offer it as even a mini Kelly is rarely seen from them.

People who have commented before are correct in that you are better off trying your luck at FSH or buying from resellers.

Also, if your store is just one or two hours away from Paris like Deauville or Lille, you can bet that some customers who have tried their luck and failed at the Parisian stores have also gone to your store in their frustration

Thank you so much for your help.

May I ask where your boutique is located?
Mine is in Tours. A little touristy but such a small boutique.
I am getting my hopes way up with Cannes (again, for the Chypre. The box Kelly is another venture of its own. I also want to ask about the Evelyne once I’m there but I am not very optimistic).

I would be flexible and love an epsom Kelly, as long as it’s blue.
I know some people who try their luck with an appointment every day until they get one, only to drop their kids and work at the drop of a hat to make it. I am not there yet, but who knows…

 

[WhiteBus]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

I live in France and I was thinking that shopping here would be different than Hermes shopping abroad - in Paris it’s all about the appointment system as you all know, while in the rest of the country it seems a little easier as I’ve heard of people who have just showed up at a boutique and had a black birkin on the spot.

I am so very confused.

All I know is I want a pair of Chypre, shawls, belts, Evelyne 16 and with god willing, a tremendous amount of luck and patience, a blue box Kelly.
I don’t even know how to have an SA in France as they just don’t give out their cards. You’ll go buy something, have a nice experience etc but they just won’t give you their cards.

I am going to Cannes for a week next week, want to try my luck there (for Chypre and an SA). I have never had such a hard time shopping, I know it’s part of the game but… how frustrating.

You have to accept that although Hermes may well be globally well-known, as a brand in certain circles, it is not a high-volume production company. Even in the largest stores do not expect to find every size in every colourway of goods like shoes or even the full range of a scarf design.
If you really want a Kelly or a Birkin because you love the style and all the other attributes, why not look upon them as you might an antique and consider a bag that might be 15+ years old.
(not paying an above cost premium to a reseller for new, untouched by human hands).
With less patience than waiting for your bag of choice to appear in your Hermes Boutique, you might well source the bag of your dreams for less than the current asking price - saving money and frustration.

 

[allanrvj]

May I ask where your boutique is located?

Scandinavia

 

[einertia]

You have to accept that although Hermes may well be globally well-known, as a brand in certain circles, it is not a high-volume production company. Even in the largest stores do not expect to find every size in every colourway of goods like shoes or even the full range of a scarf design.
If you really want a Kelly or a Birkin because you love the style and all the other attributes, why not look upon them as you might an antique and consider a bag that might be 15+ years old.
(not paying an above cost premium to a reseller for new, untouched by human hands).
With less patience than waiting for your bag of choice to appear in your Hermes Boutique, you might well source the bag of your dreams for less than the current asking price - saving money and frustration.

Oh I know production is very limited, but there’s still a little hope with the new factory they opened last month (one can dream!)
I am not ready for preloved yet and really want to explore my possibilities, also because I haven’t even purchased a single item yet. I am willing to spend years on this dream, and I know it is very likely to evolve as I go along, which makes things quite fun actually. But I was curious to know how accurate the I do I was given yesterday was, things seem so foggy to me!

 

[allanrvj]

there’s still a little hope with the new factory they opened last month (one can dream!)

H has been opening new factories since 2017 (maybe even earlier) and they never managed to catch up with the demand, and from the looks of it, got worse after the pandemic.

Even they can't catch up with their own creations, i.e. some bags they show on the runway and the catalogues would appear in stores a few years after their designated season. Examples are Sac Maximors, Dr. No bag (snorkel Plume), birkins with painted outlines, etc.