The Hermes Game

Undoubtedly one of the most sought after brands in the luxury market, Hermes positions itself as the end all be all in leather goods. What makes this brand so special, and why is it so hard to purchase some of their bags? To answer these questions we need to take a look at the history of this historic brand.

Hermes was founded in 1837 in Paris by a man named Thierry Hermes. He specialized in creating high quality leather equestrian harnesses. His attention to detail, great relationships with clients, and the high quality craftsmanship of his products lead him to win an award at the Universal Exhibition of 1867.

(Thierry Hermes pictured on the right)

In 1922 Hermes began producing non equestrian leather goods. This was the start of Hermes as we know it today. With a growing consumer base, the brand would soon reach new heights. Just a few years later, the company created its first piece of men's ready to wear, a golf jacket. Soon, the brand was producing jewelry, watches and sandals.

Fast forward to 1956, Grace Kelly was photographed carrying an Hermes bag. The photograph was published all around the world, and Hermes eventually named the bag after her, the Kelly. This started the cult following that all Hermes bags have today. (The Kelly pictured below.)

By no means is this an exhaustive list of the history of Hermes, just some basics. After a brief history it is apparent that one of the main pillars of the brand is quality. This is one of the reasons Hermes is still highly sought after today.

The main reason it is hard to obtain a quota bag (Kelly, Birkin ect..) from the Hermes boutique is due to their exclusivity. It is near impossible to walk into the store and purchase one. Typically, a client needs to build a relationship with a sales associate (SA) over time. The client needs to show their loyalty to the brand before being offered the chance to purchase one of the many bags. A great way to build a relationship with your SA is to purchase a couple items every few months from the brands different categories. Consider buying shoes, jewelry, home goods and even small leather goods. After a few purchases, your SA may ask if you are interested in buying a bag. The Kelly's and the Birkin's are the hardest to secure, and are only offered to their best clients. Try starting with a non quota bag such as a Picotin or an Evelyn. These are great bags, and purchasing one of these will further increases your odds of being offered a quota bag such as a Birkin. Your SA will ask you what leather, color, and hardware you are interested in. This is called your wish list. If a bag happens to arrive at the store with similar specifications as you requested, you may get a call!

Some people are put off by this "game" and do not understand why they cannot walk into a boutique and purchase the bag they want. However, this is intentional on the part of Hermes to maintain the brands exclusivity and keep the number of bags in circulation very low. This is one of the reasons why Hermes bags are more expensive on the resale market, as they are incredibly difficult to buy in the Hermes boutique.

The Hermes game may not be for everyone, in fact, some people avoid Hermes because of it. However, for those of us who love Hermes, it's a fun and different way to purchase some of the most sought after luxury goods on the planet. Like it or not, this is the key to their success as one of the most exclusive luxury brands in history.

Works Cited:

Six Generations of Artisans | Hermès USA. https://www.hermes.com/us/en/story/271366-six-generations-of-artisans/.