Buying an Hermès Bag Can Be Tricky—Here's What an Expert Says You Should Know (2024)

FAQs

Why is Hermès so hard to buy? ›

Buying your very first Birkin bag from a Hermès boutique is notoriously difficult. Unlike other luxury brands that prominently display their merchandise, Hermès often keeps its Birkins out of sight. Normally, they're not openly showcased to the public, so you can't simply waltz into a store and buy one off the shelf.

Not everyone can buy a Birkin. Shoppers must prove their commitment to the brand – by continuously shopping there. From what previous Hermès shoppers and managers say online, to even be considered for a bag, you must shop at the same Hermès store, use the same sales assistant, and “build a relationship” with the store.

The most iconic Hermes bag The Birkin

When it comes to the most demanded Hermes bag, the Birkin undoubtedly takes the top spot. Renowned for its timeless design and impeccable craftsmanship, the Birkin is a status symbol amongst fashion connoisseurs.

Obviously, you can buy most Hermès bags straight from Hermès. It may take you a while, but you can buy a Birkin straight from the boutique. You just can't walk into an Hermès boutique and buy a Birkin immediately. It must be ordered, and there is a waiting list.

The Birkin, Hermès's iconic handbag, is notoriously difficult to find in stores. Its genuine scarcity enrages some wealthy shoppers, and it also underlines just how abundant other ostensibly rare luxury goods tend to be, Amanda Mull writes.

The Hermès lawsuit or the “Birkin bag lawsuit” has attracted the interest of legal experts, most of whom expect the French luxury brand to come out on top. To win, the plaintiffs must prove an Hermès monopoly exists as a result of illegally tying the purchase of a Birkin to the purchase of other products.

Some areas of the US have smaller, less competitive Hermès stores where it may be easier to be offered a mini Kelly than a Birkin 25, such as in your situation. Other big city locations such as New York City and Beverly Hills are highly competitive and being offered a mini Kelly is akin to winning the lottery.

Hermès vs Chanel: Retail Prices

Both Hermès and Chanel's starting prices for bags are in the thousands of dollars, with Chanel's most affordable offering at $1,700. Hermès prices are overall higher, with Birkin prices starting at over $9,000.

Hermès Kelly Bag

For many years, the Birkin topped all Hermès bags in demand and resale value. However, today, the Mini Hermès Kelly bag indisputably tops any list of handbags with the best resale value.

Playing the 'Hermès game'

Some bags are allocated via waitlists, others offered at the sales associate's discretion. Others are reportedly offered on a first-come-first-serve basis, particularly at the brand's original flagship location in Paris.

Which Hermès bag is an investment? ›

The value of a Birkin bag skyrockets from the moment it leaves the Hermès store. That's partly because not just any regular person can buy the bag. Only customers with a sizable purchase history at the brand are offered the opportunity to buy a “quota bag,” such as a Birkin or a Kelly.

To buy a Birkin directly from Hermès, customers must have a purchase history with the brand. Hermès only allows boutiques to purchase a select number of Birkins on a bi-annual basis and the style of Birkin bag delivered to boutiques is rarely known ahead of time.

How long is the waitlist for a brand-new Birkin? The world of Hermès Birkin bags is a rather mysterious one, so there are no set rules or timelines on how long you'd have to wait to be able to buy one.

The Birkin and Kelly bags are subject to a stringent quota system worldwide. Hermès allows no one to purchase more than two “quota bags” in a calendar year. If you were to buy a Birkin and a Kelly bag in March, you just have to wait until the following year before buying another.

The exceptional level of craftsmanship in producing the handbag is the rationale for the company's pricing. Each Birkin takes a minimum of 18 hours to make as a single artisan hand-sews, buffs, paints and polishes the bag, according to Sotheby's.