Why is One Hermès Birkin Never Enough?

What is it about Hermès Birkins and Kellys that keeps us yearning for more? It seems as soon as we score our first holy grail bag, we are thinking, scheming, deciding and discussing which quota bag goes to the head of our wishlist next. Will it be a different size Birkin, or maybe a Kelly in a pop of color, or a hard to get neutral color? The possibilities are endless. (Read: Is That First Birkin Ever Enough?)

@ mrandmrs.j

The Hermès allure that propels us back again and again comes from many factors. The manufacturing scarcity (limiting the availability to increase the demand and desire) that Hermès so brilliantly instituted many years ago reels us in without realizing it. The way different leathers absorb colors like no other designer brand, keeps us coming back for more. And the fact that most of us cannot walk into any Hermès boutique, pull out our wallet, and say that Kelly 25 please, is the number one reason one Birkin or Kelly will never be enough.

Waiting for the Call

Shopping at Hermès and being a collector of Birkin and Kelly bags takes patience. Once you have a SA you connect with, who understands your aesthetic, and appreciates your budget, you are on your way to building a collection. You have submitted your updated wishlist and now all you can do is wait, and wait, and wait… for that phone call, that text, that email that says: “I have something I think you will love!”

But how long do you have to wait?
That is a very good question. That is part of the intrigue, the excitement, the unknown, that no one can answer.

@arisucookie

Many Instagrammers post their feelings, frustrations, and dreams of being contacted. The infamous Bernie Sanders meme sitting in the chair is now popping up in every Hermès boutique.

There are also daily posts on Instagram similar to these:

“Literally been seeing so many good H bags all over IG, my friends are getting amazing bags…left and right and I can’t even get an offer.
Infuriating. Thinking it’s time to switch stores.”

I have spent $20K in the boutique and still no offer! Should I go to a reseller?

It’s been weeks…I’m so bored waiting. When will the call from my SA come???

My patience is running thin. So tempted to buy a non-quota bag… a Roulis perhaps? Should I?

Your SA Contacts You!

The day has finally come. Excitement is an understatement of your emotions. You hear her voice but cannot focus on what she is saying. You catch every other word, enough to know you need to make an appointment as soon as possible. You know she said “I think I have something you will love!” Everything after that is a blur.

You make the appointment and go into your favorite H store. Your SA is waiting for you. Your heart is racing, your adrenaline is pumping, you are trying to focus and stay calm. She asks if there is anything else you want to look at first? You may want to browse, but what you really want is to see what she has to offer. Do you shop first? Or do you say you just want to see the orange box? So much to consider.

@wongerisme

The Reveal

You wait in the private room for your SA to return with the orange box. Will it be sealed? Will you love it? Your SA does the initial unboxing!

Your first glimpse of the style, color, leather, and hardware makes this shopping experience like none other. The next step is to hold the Birkin or Kelly, examine it, ponder it, model it, determine how it will fit into your collection. You must quickly determine if this offer fits your frame, fills a void in your collection, complements your wardrobe, and is close to, or exactly like, a bag on your wishlist.

Within minutes you must determine if you are going to make this quota bag yours, or pass on her and await your next offer. (Read: Ever Regret Buying That Hermès Birkin or Kelly? )

Once you decide you cannot pass this one up, you watch as your SA carefully puts the felt back on the bag, attaches the sangles, and packages your purchase in the bright orange box. She expertly ties the ribbon into a bow that sits perfectly on the center of the box, before depositing it into the large orange Hermès shopping bag.

Many covet the orange boxes almost as much as the purchases they hold. They not only serve as secure homes for our precious Hermès purchases, they double as pieces to collect, display, create orange pyramids, perfect for any corner or photo shoot.

@rinyks

A Good Investment

It does not hurt that many news outlets have reported that purchasing a Hermès Birkin or Kelly is a better investment in the long run than investing in the stock market or buying gold. Hermès Birkins and Kellys have held their value over decades and are often listed on the resale market for 25-50% or more over the initial retail cost. (Read: At What Price Would You Sell Your Birkin?

Many collectors of rare and old coins, antiquarian books, and turn of the 20th century penny arcade machines, once believed to be great investments, are now realizing that their collections are decreasing in value each year. The younger generations have no interest in their father’s or grandfather’s dated collections.

However, that is not true with Hermès Birkins and Kellys. It is fascinating how many young fashionistas on the streets, social media, and in boutiques are obsessed with all things Hermès. Many daughters and sons of Hermès collectors either have started their own collections, tapped into their parents’ closet, or are awaiting the day they inherit all the quota bags they encouraged their parents to buy.

@ncl.style

The Entire Hermès Experience Makes Us Insatiable!

Being a member of that exclusive Hermès family acts like a magnet luring us back again and again. You are welcomed into the Hermès “home” for the privilege of purchasing fine luxury items. With it comes the excitement, the adrenaline rush, and the surprise factor of what you will be offered. It is the sealed orange box, the initial unboxing, that first peek inside the dustbag, that sets your heart racing like no other shopping experience. The ultimate reward is the offer of a quota bag you may or may not have ever considered.

Let’s face it, it is simply that Birkins and Kellys are so divine, so well constructed, so beautiful, and so unattainable, that just one will never be enough!