Hermes Summer Sale 2016

I am surprised by many of the comments from the January sale. The Hermes sale is not new–it is part of the twice annual sales tradition of Paris for many many years and usually runs Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat. Everyone in Paris knows about this sale and there is even discreet announcement in several newspapers. If you are an Hermes VIP shopper your sales associate can put you on the VIP list which means that you do not have to stand in the entry lines on Thur/Fri/Sat but you do still have to line up for the scarves, shoes or any other internal lines. For the Wednesday first day it is madness—I did this twice in my youth and friends and I were there to line up by 6 AM and were not first!! But in those days there were also handbags and small leather goods which do NOT exist now. For those of you who do not speak French the Palais is at Porte Maillot and most hotels know where you want to go–ask them to write it down for you. If you are not gifted with PATIENCE please do NOT go!! Do NOT wear any Hermes items. Wear comfortable shoes and even an unfashionable belt bag so your hands are free! I have a sale “uniform” which includes pretty underwear, A-line or sheath dress with no sleeves or tight sleeves, ballet flats, no earrings, no rings and a belt bag. And when security says you only have 15 minutes to select they do mean 15 minutes only!! There is no VAT refund (there used to be) so don’t calculate that in your purse math. New items are added several times during the sale days but you never know what to expect. And NOTHING FROM CURRENT OR LAST SEASON–so no Spr/Sum 2016 and no F/W 2015—don’t put that on your list. Therefore, I am not sure why shopping on Faubourg St Honore before the sale is so important to you—just for price comparison? Or to check your sizes in shoes or RTW—you can try on footwear and RTW at the sale and size specs change with style and season so that to me is not great help.A list may be helpful but the frenzy may overwhelm even the best list makers! As for me, I know what colours I want/need and what birthdays, etc are coming up. I have bought golf and tennis bags, beach towels, shawls, scarves, shoes, boots, hats, RTW, ties, shirts, kid gloves. If you want the most bang for your buck it is definitely ties and shirts, sweaters, shawls, boots. I think the RTW is great as long as you are looking for classics and not for prints that are season specific! I have bought leather skirts and pants, silk and cotton blouses, three blazers and countless scarves and shawls and just abide by my usual capsule wardrobe and accessory lists which we French women grow up with—as in you can never own too much black! or navy or grey! This is when we buy black pumps, blazers, trench coats of best brands in luxury that we can afford! There used to be sales in NYC and in London too but there simply is too much demand world wide for Hermes to have too much to sell at sales anymore. As for those of you who think you can buy at sale price and re-sell at some crazy high price–that is your choice. For everyone else please note: EACH ITEM IS MARKED TO SHOW THAT IT IS A SALE ITEM SO YOU CANNOT TAKE IT BACK TO ANY HERMES BOUTIQUE TO GET A REFUND OR AN EXCHANGE!! The marking is discreet but it is there (last year an indelible S on labels). So beware in July and in February when Hermes starts showing up on EBay etc without labels! I hope this information helps with the more practical aspects of the sale. As for other sales by Chanel, LVMH, Lanvin, etc. alot of the French sales are by invitation or what you might call a “pre-sale” for valued/VIP customers and you MUST have the invitation card to show at the door. For Hermes there is no invitation card. The sales in general are from Wednesday 22 June to Tuesday 02 August 2016. All the more reason to be in Paris in June or July!! Enjoy yourselves! Viva la France!

If you are young and frisky and have a friend going with you by all means try to go to the sale on the first day—it is an experience! There should be a line by 7AM which is why you need a friend for coffee run and bathroom breaks while you sit on floor and wait. Before there was Internet we played bridge in line–LOL. The first day there may be some one of a kind items and more sizes in scarves, shawls, shoes or boots that will get snapped up immediately. The second and third days additional stock is added during the day so there is still choice. But never never are there handbags or small leather goods not even first day or VIP day. I usually go VIP day and don’t wait in line because at this age there is nothing that I stand in line for–not Hermes, Lanvin, movies, dinner, etc. Enjoy–take a list but be prepared to make a decision for some item not on your original list without angst.

I wasn’t even trying to be funny! Just telling the truth! Bathroom breaks are an issue because bathroom is not on same floor as sale room!

Please note everyone–Paris and all of France—is in relative chaos now because of STRIKES–trains, metros, buses, taxis, oil refineries. If you have never experienced a “manifestation” which is basically the same as a strike in France, you may want to consider if you want your first Hermes sale experience to be during a week where various unions have already promised strikes—it is also Paris 2016 Competition. Plus Eurostar today 30 May was a total disaster from Paris because of suspicious package and cancelling and delays of about half the trains out of Gare du Nord—imagine the Gare filled with people waiting for trains originally scheduled to depart on hour from 2 PM to 8:30PM and not a pretty picture at all. You must make up your own minds! I am French and Paris is my home and I wish you to enjoy your trip to my beautiful city. If you are used to private cars and a world without unions on strike (plus students likely to strike in sympathy), just know that taxis are in short supply because of lack of petrol and public transport is chaos on strike days. We are French and Paris is our capital and we are used to some chaos caused by strikes—it is NOT dangerous—just INCONVENIENT!

how much do the scarves cost at the sale?

Do you need an invitation to go in?! I will be in Paris that time and I would love to go! Does anyone know if they have clic H bracelet and earrings for sale?!