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Post by joan1 on Apr 30, 2008 17:36:58 GMT -5
OK, I know nothing of high fashion. I am not up on things. I do recognize a few names of course, Hermes, Chanel, YSL etc, but I am really not the least bit clued in.
So, on another thread I see everyone chatting about " Kelly Bags," and "Birkin" bags etc,, and obviously eluding that to their expense and that they are an investment etc. These bags are willed to people they say.
So, since I do not run in circles with those who own such bags I went online to find photos etc. I looked on e bay and I was sure I was mistaken,, I was so sure,,, but apparently there are people out there in fantasy world who are bidding 30,000, 40,000 50,000 and even 60 and 65 THOUSAND dollars for SECOND HANG PURSES !!
Are you all nutters, it the world insane, I mean come on you can buy a house for that much in some places, but more importantly ,, you could go to Paris and have a great time for 10 trips for the price of one of those bags..
sorry , rant over.
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Post by Jody on Apr 30, 2008 18:08:24 GMT -5
Joan, I'm with you! I just had to see for myself so I went to ebay and looked.
I really was floored by the $10,000.00 US WALLET!!
Our first car only cost $2000.00! and it was NEW!
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Post by Laura NY (aoi33) on Apr 30, 2008 19:48:08 GMT -5
Joan, for many of the women who purchase the Birkins made with exotic skins, the cost is rarely a consideration. In fact, it is not unusual for a woman to have a wardrobe full of Birkins. Hard to fathom, I know, but true.
As for many of the bags being second hand, the workmanship and the quality of the skins is so extraordinary that with proper care they last forever. The calfskin bags take on a beautiful patina with age, which cannot be replicated and is respected by those who know about such things. Moreover, if the bag is truly vintage, it is much less likely to be fake than one than is new. Of course, that isn't a problem if you are buying from Hermes, but it is a concern if you are buying on eBay.
The other thing that keeps the bags looking great is that Hermes stands behind them and repairs and refurbishes them. I cannot begin to tell you (get ready for my rant here) how absolutely beside myself I was when I brought my beloved eight year old Longchamp Roseau with a leather lining, which they no longer make, into the boutique to replace a strap which had broken. They took it as though it had a bad smell, it was in excellent condition save for the strap, and told me they didn't repair anything more than three years old! Talk about standing behind your product. Guess where I'm not buying my next bag (end of rant)? That simply does not happen at Hermes, even with bags decades old.
If you would like to read more about Hermes and the lunacy surrounding the astonishing prices they command, I recommend Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello, a lighthearted tale of a man who fell into finding and selling Hermes on eBay.
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Post by cigalechanta on Apr 30, 2008 20:11:58 GMT -5
I read that article. They won't let him buy their bags anymore.
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Post by Laura NY (aoi33) on Apr 30, 2008 20:26:31 GMT -5
Mimi, he was only banned from buying the bags in Paris, but he has been out of the business for what appears to be several years now. Still, it was an amusing and fast read.
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Post by joan1 on Apr 30, 2008 23:12:37 GMT -5
quote: " when I brought my beloved eight year old Longchamp Roseau with a leather lining, which they no longer make, into the boutique to replace a strap which had broken. They took it as though it had a bad smell, it was in excellent condition save for the strap, and told me they didn't repair anything more than three years old! Talk about standing behind your product.
Aoi33 I would be indignant too, a good quality anything should be repairable by the craftsmen who made it. "
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Post by Anne on May 1, 2008 8:43:08 GMT -5
Joan, not all Hermès bags cost that much . Many Hermès bags "only" cost a few thousand euros . These are less famous bags than Birkin or Kelly . The price of a bag depends also very much on the type of leather that it is made of (you can get each model in different types of skins) . I know that even a few thousand euros is much money for a bag, but it can still be something like a "special present" that one wouldn't feel too guilty about  . But 10,000 euros + for a bag just goes beyond my world too ... Mind you, it happens that I will go shopping in Metz next Tuesday because I want to go to the local Hermès shop to buy a present (NOT for me, the present  ), and I had also decided that, since I was there anyway, I would have a look at their bags too ... Just a look  . |
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Post by Shoesy on May 1, 2008 9:08:45 GMT -5
Even just a few thousand euros for a bag is way beyond my comprehension. The same goes for dollars, and even crappy Israeli shekels. If by some chance I won such a bag as a prize, I wouldn't feel particularly comfortable using it. However, if I won the Hope Diamond ;D, which is worth millions, I'd feel perfectly divine wearing it , though I guess I'd never be able to afford the necessary insurance  . |
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Post by Laura NY (aoi33) on May 1, 2008 16:05:31 GMT -5
Just by coincidence, I met a friend for lunch today who was carrying an Hermes shopping bag. Before I had a chance to ask, she said, "I want you to see this. I just picked it up from the store." Inside the wrapping, was an Hermes bag her father had given her nearly forty years ago, which she had just had refurbished. It had been in good vintage condition before she brought it in, but when she held it up, I couldn't believe my eyes. It looked new. It was amazing. The cost for such beautiful work? One hundred dollars.
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Post by joan1 on May 4, 2008 0:16:57 GMT -5
aoi33, well what a lucky lady to have a father with the foresight to invest in such a nice piece for his daughter, and it certainly speaks of the quality of the bag that it looks so good even now( refurbished or not) .
I am just of a thought that there is no point in having my possesions outlast me!!! LOL
I agree , if somehow I obtained such a bag, by gift for example, I would be paranoid about losing it, or having my lipstick mess up the inside, or even it being such a target for theft.. I would keep it in a safe, LOL
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Post by Anne on May 6, 2008 7:44:05 GMT -5
I paid a delightful visit to the local (small) Hermès shop this morning  . Most bags were indeed in the 3,000 - 5,000 euros range, but price can go up quickly if one picks a precious leather . Actually, you can have your bag made to order : you chose your model, the type of skin it will be made of, the colour of the skin and also the finishing of the metal pieces . And then you wait for ... 9 to 12 months until your bag is manufactured  ! Or maybe longer, because the shopkeeper told me that every shop has a yearly quota of bags that cannot be exceeded ... |
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Post by Shoesy on May 6, 2008 7:54:55 GMT -5
My dear Anne - You forgot to tell us what kind of bag YOU ordered. ;D
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Post by Anne on May 6, 2008 8:19:45 GMT -5
NONE Chouchou, I certainly cannot afford a 4,000 euros impulse buy  . Now, my 45th birthday is next year, so I will tell hubby about this visit, I just have to wait for a carefully chosen occasion ;D ... |
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on May 6, 2008 8:30:24 GMT -5
Anne, be sure you find the occasion soon - you do have to give him a year's notice so it will be ready in time, after all!
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. But 10,000 euros + for a bag just goes beyond my world too ...
), and I had also decided that, since I was there anyway, I would have a look at their bags too ... Just a look 
.
.
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! Or maybe longer, because the shopkeeper told me that every shop has a yearly quota of bags that cannot be exceeded 
.
Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha