Sorry for my hiatus after my last post – work has been crazy last week so blogging had to take a back seat!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen my recent new purchase: a Lindy 26 in Rose Azalee colour. I was thrilled to be able to gift myself a lovely new bag for my birthday (gifts to yourself are the best kind, am I right?!) However, what I want to share today are some interesting observations while at Hermes store in London; I don’t think it’s particularly important to name which store (you can probably tell from the pictures below) because I’m sure these things happen frequently at every single Hermes boutique in the world.
Bag lovers like me all know enough crazy stories about Hermes, what people do to hunt for a Birkin/Kelly bag, the conspiracy theories about what’s going on in those stock rooms at the back of the stores, the tips and tricks to ‘score’ a Birkin bag etc. But those are all but stories. I myself have visited many Hermes stores in different countries and have never witnessed anything out of the ordinary…well, until this particular visit right in my home store in London.
My boyfriend and I went into Hermes when the store was relatively quiet. The lovely hostess asked me what bags I would be interested in seeing. I told her I didn’t have anything specific in mind, we just wanted to see what’s available (I think people who straight out said they only want Birkin/Kelly would probably be turned down immediately). The hostess said there were just 2 people in front of us so we took a seat and wait to be served by a Leather SA (Sales Associate for those not familiar with bags lingo Lol).
While waiting, I saw 3 people being served by a young SA, 2 ladies and 1 man. They were shown a bag they didn’t like, I gathered as the older lady began to speak in a loud voice:
Lady: I know you have Birkins but you are not going to show me anyway!
SA: I’m sorry we really don’t have any Birkin in stock.
Lady: I know what you have at the back, you are just never going to show me those bags!
SA: Oh do you?
At this point the lady became quite distressed and walked away from the table and went sit by herself sulking at another corner. Her husband and friend followed her and seemed to be complaining in their local language. She looked to be so pissed off that she was close to crying. She demanded to see the store manager. After awhile, the store manager came to see her but all he could say was a longer, more polite version of what the SA had already told her. They left with what I would describe as extreme disappointment and frustration.
While I was speaking to my SA, another lady came in, holding her phone in her hand. I assumed she had asked to see a Birkin/Kelly bag because when an SA told her they have no bag in stock, she became angry very quickly. The conversation went like this:
Lady: You’re just lying to me!
SA: No sorry madam but we haven’t had a delivery today.
Lady: I have a friend who works at another store who already told me you received a delivery just now! Another store was also lying to me!
SA: I’m really not sure who your friend is and where she gets this information but we don’t have any delivery today yet, maybe you could come back tomorrow..
Lady: I have been here every single day this past week!! Every time a different person lies to me!
At this point, she was becoming a bit hysterical and loud so the SA had to walk her to a desk to sit down and calmly speak to her. This conversation then quiet down so I couldn’t hear the resolution but I can guess how it would go.
My SA and I watched all this happening and I’m sure others in the store overheard too. He said this happens really frequently in the store and this was not even close to the worst they have seen. I feel really bad for the SAs that work there.
Even though I’m crazy about bags myself, I have never seen such emotional display in a boutique, all for a bag. To deal with Hermes, I think it’s best to be calm, cool, collected, and most importantly, polite. If they said no, smile and move on – this is just not your day. There’s no need to cry in the middle of the store because you assume they’re all lying to you. After all, no bag is worth us losing our heads over.
Aftermath photo – pondering what has happened to my bank account.
Unboxing shots of Lindy 26 Rose Azalee, Evercolour leather:
Some bonus modelling photos with the bag ‘cos I couldn’t wait to take it out for a swing around the block!
Such a lovely pink, isn’t it? Makes me so happy just staring at this bag.
TD Style 