Are Hermes bags like legal tender?

[BlackCatGreyWhiskers]

So I’m not sure where my algorithm went wrong but I keep seeing videos of people buying and exchanging their Hermes bags in a shop - “prestige bliss” is the video channel. Obviously now I’m generating them as I’m viewing them.

So from what I’ve gathered you can’t just buy a Hermes bag - you have to go and buy other stuff first, to win the affection and respect of the sales assistant. Then if you’re lucky and they do offer you a bag you’re expected just to accept it - but you don’t actually chose it? And we’re talking like the equivalent of a Range Rover for a bag. Then you can go and exchange/sell these bags at shops like the one in the video.

What the hell is this? Like you’re buying the privilege of being privileged? And they are just bags. I mean they might be nice, but they’re bags.

I dont understand this question.

When luxury watches or bags are sold from from authorised dealers or the companies who manufacture them, for example Chanel, Rolex, Patek etc, they come with warranty cards/documents, serial numbers, receipts and the purchaser is recorded on their systems along with the warranty/serial details.

What brands are no longer doing, is offering to authenticate pre-owned goods purchased privately or from outside their network - eg ebay and other online marketplaces.

Because they've manufactured it, or if that particular luxury brand offers a pre owned section, they have the serial / warranty / sale details, and are capable of authenticating IF the product is going to be resold by them or their authorised agents.

They just won't do it for "unauthorised" resale.

Those "luxury" brands used to be made by craftsman working in family firms. Now those firms have gotten gobbled up by mega corporations who have outsourced much of the production and the bags are finished locally so they can get the Made in X.

There was a Chinese business on TikTok a few months ago showing exactly how their bags were made.

The brands may have the illusion of being exclusive to keep prices up (like diamonds) but the mask is off.

I didn't know that was how these things work, either, OP. It's ridiculous, if so, and even if I had the money to spend on 'luxury brands', I think I'd be too indignant at the system to buy into it, not to mention that there are thousands of things I'd rather have/do. I don't care how nice a bag, watch, or car might be; it can't possibly be worth their luxury brand-inflated prices.

(Realistically, it's not something I'll ever have to worry about! 😅)

Well there’s so much info in this thread I had no idea about any of…it’s like I’ve found a different world and it’s all about bags.

i bought a Mulberry a few years ago and I really like it. It’s obviously like a Reliant Robin in comparison and was cheaper than a replica off the dark Webb 🤣

@PiriPiriMenopause my most expensive bag is a Michael kors and that was a treat!!

Could we have a recommendation please

Same here - I was interested to find out the answer to your query.

There are two examples in this post of a poster professing “not to understand” and then going on to provide an explanation to the query. So they must have understood, they just wanted an opportunity to appear superior.

Fakes are horrible, you are stealing someone’s designs and hard work, whilst supporting the slave trade.

When Trump started the tariff talks, there was an interesting trend on TikTok - “Chinese manufacturer Tok” where they tried to “expose” the high pricing of luxury brands like Hermes and that the rapid price rises since 2020 have been about maintaining the illusion of exclusivity and not raw material costs rising. One video claims that when you use the same thread, leather and hardware as Hermes, a $20k Birkin costs about $2k to make.

According to the trend, consumers in the West have been conned to think that all Chinese factories make Shein quality when there are trained workers who can make luxury brand quality as well as European workers. (Obviously there’s the issue that European factories don’t have suicide nets outside)

The trend lists some websites that Chinese people apparently buy direct from the factories but I can’t confirm quality.

The PP mentioned commissioning a bag directly with the manufacturer - how is that supporting the slave trade??

I actually know this. They aren't the type of bag many people are faking and nobody would believe you anyway, because they simply are too expensive. Either you can afford one or you can't, having a fake would be... Humiliating, to say this least.

Getting the bags, and spending enough in the shop to even be offered one, is a bit of a game. Rich people get bored too, they can have anything and everything. So Hermes created this false scarcity mindset. For their brand they would rather sell a smaller amount of bags for an astonishing amount of money, than sell a lot of the item but lose perceived desirability, exclusivity and competition amongst the wealthy. Having a one of these bags is a statement and yes you absolutely don't turn one down even if it isn't to your taste because you may not be offered one ever again.

I don't personally own one, but I've seen people going crazy for them. I guess it's no different than people collecting the rarest trading card in a game or other perceived high value rare items. The only reason we see it as so odd is because the collectors market has historically not been really appealing or geared towards women, let alone very wealthy women.

Oh, ok. That makes more sense.

I stepped out of the branded bags a long time ago. I used to love Coach bags but their quality went to hell and then the logos took over. I still have mine from the 90’s but won’t even go into a store now. If I had stupid amounts of money I quite like the look of the Hermes bags.

My one ‘branded’ weakness is my eyeglasses. I tripped across a French brand years ago that are still family owned and handmade. They are my luxury item that nobody would ever guess at or know, but I do and I love their designs. (To be clear they aren’t Hermes/Rolex level luxury but they are say Louboutin-ish).

I don’t think I supported the slave trade commissioning a Loewe puzzle bag tbh. A 9 year old didn’t make it that’s for sure. And I know the factory it was made in - have a google for that - it’s called Jipin. And it’s not ‘horrible,’ it is legitimately (ha!) identical to my authentic bag. Same lamb skin leather, same feel, same branding, identical stitching. and I deliberately chose a bag that’s not ‘ in your face’ - I wouldn’t get a LV for example

But yeah, it’s a moral wrangle I suppose

That's how it works.

Basically, you build a ' relationship' with a SA, how much you buy of other goods and when/ if you get offered a bag very much depends. You can make your preferences known for a style/ colour/ leather/ hardware/ size etc but no guarantees. Then you might be offered a bag but it might not be what you want or hoped for, you then have to decide whether to take it or not.

You really can't walk in a store, march up to the counter and say you want a Birkin - it's not unheard of for someone to score one that way, but it is unusual and not really the way to go about it.

I recently became addicted to watching Tik Toks about people buying and selling these bags.

Women nonchalantly buying a 30,000 pound Birkin, Hermes etc. Maybe for a wedding, maybe for a gift. Really fascinating. They handle the bags with gloves. There's a "pricing team" , certificates and whatnot.

No idea why I find it so interesting.
My latest bag purchase was 8 euro in Primark and I think it's really cute😂

Even Samantha from Sex and the city couldn't get a Birkin.

@Jojimoji i think we’re watching the same sort of things. Really disappointed they’re staged!!!

And that the bags are almost identical except for the colour - so I don’t really understand how anyone is making a statement!

Of course it hurts the brand. You can't have an air of exclusivity if any Tom, Dick or Harry is walking around with one that looks identical. People won't buy the expensive one even if they can afford it = hurting the brand.

This reminds me of Madonna getting angry at her staff for not using the clubcard / vouchers.

Where can i get one of those? Asking for a friend obvs...

I’ve never bought anything from Hermes in my life. I went in store and asked to be put on a waiting list for a Birkin. Six months later I was offered one.

The whole ‘ you have to spend loads’ was certainly not true in my case.