What’s your unpopular Hermes opinion?

[tinkerbell68]

UNRELATED UO: Anyone can say anything about their shopping and/or buying experience at an Hermès store. This does not make it true, nor, even if it's true, universal. That said, if you are an actual client, you will have some accurate insights. Bbbut...take some advice with a whole shaker of salt 🧂

I agree with every opinion you shared @QuelleFromage but particularly this observation!

 

[Lellabelle]

I have a lot of unpopular opinions today!

UO: The dialogue around Hermès is becoming ridiculous (and I do NOT mean here). I got a sample of a book the other day ("Park Avenue" by Renee Ahdieh) and an entire chapter AT THE BEGINNING is dedicated to the difficulty of buying an Hermès bag, the SAs, "prespend", Paris appointments, etc etc - this is in a NOVEL (all the info is also clearly lifted from this forum, but what isn't?). It's so tiring to see media try to get audience with this trope, but now it's in fiction? Every day there's an article about bags 💤 🥱

Related UO: The Jane Birkin-Birkin auction did NOT help the above; it made it 10x worse.

Also related UO: I'm glad Catherine B made so much money on that auction; the folks at her store have always been nice IMO.

ALSO (yep more) related UO: It's icky how many "influencers" pretended to be bidding on that auction. All I will say is that there were A LOT of people outside taking pictures and posting that they were bidding... who were not inside with a paddle number having qualified for the minimum bid.

UNRELATED UO: Anyone can say anything about their shopping and/or buying experience at an Hermès store. This does not make it true, nor, even if it's true, universal. That said, if you are an actual client, you will have some accurate insights. Bbbut...take some advice with a whole shaker of salt 🧂

💯

Also, these may be more themed than you think. An author friend told me that brand placements in books and articles function as a type of product placement, and that when you see brands or experiences prominently mentioned, it’s likely the author has done it to gain traction with (or free stuff from) a brand. Hotels are a common one, so are travel and food. It’s all just more ‘influencing’.

UO: I find social media “influencing” repellent.

 

[OnlyModa]

I have a lot of unpopular opinions today!

UO: The dialogue around Hermès is becoming ridiculous (and I do NOT mean here). I got a sample of a book the other day ("Park Avenue" by Renee Ahdieh) and an entire chapter AT THE BEGINNING is dedicated to the difficulty of buying an Hermès bag, the SAs, "prespend", Paris appointments, etc etc - this is in a NOVEL (all the info is also clearly lifted from this forum, but what isn't?). It's so tiring to see media try to get audience with this trope, but now it's in fiction? Every day there's an article about bags 💤 🥱

Related UO: The Jane Birkin-Birkin auction did NOT help the above; it made it 10x worse.

Also related UO: I'm glad Catherine B made so much money on that auction; the folks at her store have always been nice IMO.

ALSO (yep more) related UO: It's icky how many "influencers" pretended to be bidding on that auction. All I will say is that there were A LOT of people outside taking pictures and posting that they were bidding... who were not inside with a paddle number having qualified for the minimum bid.

UNRELATED UO: Anyone can say anything about their shopping and/or buying experience at an Hermès store. This does not make it true, nor, even if it's true, universal. That said, if you are an actual client, you will have some accurate insights. Bbbut...take some advice with a whole shaker of salt 🧂

So many words of wisdom in several short paragraphs

 

[880]

what to else ask for at a price that feels worth it?

Agree with this.

UO: One has to ask carefully. I don’t want to be put into the position of asking for the moon and then declining bc it is outside my price comfort zone

Im screaming re the prices along with @HappySteve

I was trying to figure out why I might spend relatively more on, say, a leather studded coat, but balk at a studded bag.

UO: there is a price where, prespend be damned, if I can save money on x item that I love at FSH (no prespend required) Im going to do so

UO: I’d rather spend the money on a piece of RTW that I will wear for decades than a bag which is just an accessory. Plus, the studded coat has a lot more leather and studs than the bag lol (Not that I have any chance of being offered the cloute MKII at any time soon or ever

 

[Goldenbelle]

Agree with this.

UO: One has to ask carefully. I don’t want to be put into the position of asking for the moon and then declining bc it is outside my price comfort zone

Im screaming re the prices along with @HappySteve

I was trying to figure out why I might spend relatively more on, say, a leather studded coat, but balk at a studded bag.

UO: there is a price where, prespend be damned, if I can save money on x item that I love at FSH (no prespend required) Im going to do so

UO: I’d rather spend the money on a piece of RTW that I will wear for decades than a bag which is just an accessory. Plus, the studded coat has a lot more leather and studs than the bag lol (Not that I have any chance of being offered the cloute MKII at any time soon or ever

Fully agree with the „what to ask for“! I try to get a feeling for the price tag before I ask for an item in earnest, as I do not want to decline because of price only - both for me (heartbreak, if I love a item but just feel it is not ok to buy for this price) and the SA (probably did fight for me to get this and did so in vain).

I‘ll try to just buy what I really really love to save my money for exactly these items that I love. Lucky not to be in a purely prespend-driven geography.

Sometimes this is hard, because I still like a lot 😂 hello silks …

 

[saugalady]

UO : I don't know, it rubs me the wrong way when after getting an item at Hermès, someone says patience 'pays'. No, patience costs a bit at Hermès! There is the cost of purchasing other ancillary items and the cost of the actual item actually increased by the time one finally gets the item ( after a year, maybe two or more). I understand the elation of finally getting a wanted item but I would never say the patience paid off.

 

[Angiebbb]

Correction: according to another member / K25 is now $18K before taxes in the US. Makes even more sense to go the vintage route, IMO.

The real real had a couple of 2023 ones recently at ard $20k and they were in great condition. The k28 vert fonce had just one small scratch.

That is pretty much store price, so prespend for box Kelly not worth it.

 

[Lessons]

Kelly pochette is nicer than mini Kelly

 

[Build-a-B-K-collection]

UO : I think the KTG and CTG are just glorified wallets. They are not bags. They’re not clutches. They are wallets with straps. Doesn’t make sense to me 🤷‍♀️ (don’t even get me started on the exotic ones!)

I agree ☝️

I have the CTG and it holds my phone cards and a slim lip stick. Keys make it bulky so it’s used only when I’m child free and don’t need to carry anything!

I wouldn’t buy another one again

 

[BreezyE]

I agree ☝️

I have the CTG and it holds my phone cards and a slim lip stick. Keys make it bulky so it’s used only when I’m child free and don’t need to carry anything!

I wouldn’t buy another one again

Holds more than a mini kelly

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

My UO is that the Micro Kelly and the Micro Birkins are'nt bags at all.
they're actually useless bits of arm (or finger because you wouldnt be able to fit your wrist through them) candy.

 

[tinkerbell68]

My UO is that the Micro Kelly and the Micro Birkins are'nt bags at all.
they're actually useless bits of arm (or finger because you wouldnt be able to fit your wrist through them) candy.

💯 If a 'bag' cannot accommodate one's EDC and thus one would need to carry another bag, it is not a bag and should be considered RTW 😉 At least one wouldn't need to worry about sizing!!! I recognize that I have quite a bit of EDC but a real 'bag' should accommodate a phone (which can typically stand in for a wallet nowadays), keys (car fobs seem to get bigger and bigger), glasses (either prescription or sunglasses) and a lip balm or lipstick.

 

[meowlett]

💯 If a 'bag' cannot accommodate one's EDC and thus one would need to carry another bag, it is not a bag and should be considered RTW 😉 At least one wouldn't need to worry about sizing!!! I recognize that I have quite a bit of EDC but a real 'bag' should accommodate a phone (which can typically stand in for a wallet nowadays), keys (car fobs seem to get bigger and bigger), glasses (either prescription or sunglasses) and a lip balm or lipstick.

I concur. And honestly, those non-bags carriers should not complain about others’ bag charms.

My UO: I hate the social media’s obsession with the brand. Because of that, my favorite white cotton Hermes T shirt was stolen last weekend at a Hilton group hotel. I really was not expecting that. It was just a plain white T. Unless this social media thing, nobody would pay attention to it.

 

[Hankypanda]

UO : I don't know, it rubs me the wrong way when after getting an item at Hermès, someone says patience 'pays'. No, patience costs a bit at Hermès! There is the cost of purchasing other ancillary items and the cost of the actual item actually increased by the time one finally gets the item ( after a year, maybe two or more). I understand the elation of finally getting a wanted item but I would never say the patience paid off.

seriously... I should have JUST found a reputable reseller a few years ago for a B. that would have "paid/saved" in some aspect. by the time I get one, and ~through the boutique~ it will be like 20K USD for the bag itself and not really the best use of my money. I do feel somewhat lucky I got my other bags when I did without having an ~SA loyalty journey~. even if they are not "VaLuAbLe QBs," they did get more and more expensive each year.

 

[880]

The prevailing opinion on TPF and elsewhere seemed to be that the economy was tanking, during covid and now. And luxury would take a beating.

UO: I was never of the opinion that the concerns about thr economy today would tank the revenues of Hermes. Bc no matter how bad the economy, the top percent will still shop (perhaps less and be more picky). And, a lot of Hermes revenue is still due to small things like cosmetics and trinkets. It seems as though revenues are up, possibly due to Hermes releasing its grip on some of its bags.

I do think that if some people have an easier time buying new bags, and others wish to liquidate their older bags, resale prices will soften. And, I think they have started to do so.


I’m wondering whether the “exceptional corporate contribution could be thr 5K bonus to its employees. Or possibly some sort of capital expenditure.m