Introduction

Ever Dreamt of Owning a Slice of Hermes Luxury?

We’ve all had those late-night visions of that iconic orange Hermès box.

A pristine Birkin or Kelly bag, gleaming in the light, just like the ones celebrities carry and everyone admires. These super-luxurious bags are handmade from top-notch materials, but they’re so rare it’s like finding a unicorn. Buying one new means a long waitlist and a hefty price tag that could make your eyes water. This is because Hermès limits production and prioritises existing high-spending customers.

But there’s good news! You can skip the wait and avoid crazy markups by exploring the world of pre-owned Hermès. Think of it as fulfilling your designer dream with a beautiful, gently used treasure. Trusted resellers like SehaBags are expanding their Hermès collection, and soon, you’ll have access to a trove of exquisite pre-owned Hermès bags, including the timeless Black Togo Leather Birkin 30.

Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the magic of Hermès and explore why a pre-owned beauty might be your perfect match.

The Mystique of Hermes

No brand has that “it” factor quite like Hermes.

The famous French label has been sprinkling luxury fairy dust and making people go gaga for almost 200 years now.

It all started in 1837 when Thierry Hermes opened a modest harness workshop in Paris to outfit the city’s hoity-toity horse riders. He was so good that he won awards for his leather work twice at the Expositions Universelles in Paris. Yes, leather artistry was in the Hermes DNA, and it wasn’t long before this little atelier expanded into creating all sorts of desirable accessories.

In 1880, Thierry’s son Charles-Émile took the reins and was like, ‘Thanks Dad, but I’m taking this baddie boutique to the next level.’ He scooped up a swankier space on the upscale rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which is still Hermes’ flagship store today.

As the house branched out from equestrian goods, its craftsmen became renowned for their ridiculous skills and using only the most lavish materials.

In the 1920s, Hermes changed the game by unleashing its first handbags on the world. Iconic styles like the Kelly and Birkin were born. With their rich tones, dreamy patinas, and hardware that shines brighter than the sun, these carryalls are functional art pieces.

To this day, each sublime Hermes bag is still entirely hand-crafted in Parisian workshops by a team of master artisans. We’re talking up to 48 hours of meticulous labor and between 10-20 different leather pieces going into creating a single Birkin bag. It’s true artistry and incredible quality control.

Because Hermes only allows a tiny number of these bags to be created each year, they’ve become grails that make owning a Picasso look easy. That perfect blend of iconic design, impeccable quality, and scarcity has put the brand’s handbags in a whole other stratosphere of cult status. Touch that orange box, and you’ll get the hype.

J-Lo and the magic of a Birkin
J-Lo and the magic of a Birkin.

The (Extremely) Drawn Out Hermes Handbag Hustle

Scoring a fresh-off-the-line Hermès bag isn’t just hard. It’s a feat more challenging than summiting Everest. This uber-exclusive brand doesn’t mess around when making consumers work for their prized handbag possessions.

The waitlist system

At the core of this torture test is the dreaded waitlist system that Hermès has implemented across all its boutiques worldwide. Unless you have a very generous sugar daddy with mad Hermès connect, the only way to get your hands on that bouncy new Birkin or Kelly is to get your name penciled onto a wildly long waitlist queue.

The iconic orange Hermes box
The iconic orange Hermes box.

And we’re not talking about the kind of thirsty line you’ll find at a Harry Styles merch drop. These waitlists make the brunch queues at your favorite boozy bottomless spot seem like a walk in the park.

We’re talking year(s) long limbo while you bite your nails and pray for that golden ticket call that your bag has finally arrived.

The harsh reality is that for the major grails like a classic black Birkin or Kelly in a super popular size like 25 or 30, the wait can stretch into a half-decade or more for many shoppers. An exotic skinned version like porosus croc? You might literally be able to start and finish having kids before getting that holy grail handbag.

So how do the Hermès generals decide whose name gets called to the velvet ropes?

Prior personal shopping history.

Well, a significant factor is your prior personal shopping history and overall spending with the brand.

Have you been a devoted cash cow dropping major dollars year after year on their Silk products, perfumes, china & crystal, or other leather goods? You’ll get prioritized.

How much to spend? Some say $5,000, some say $25,000. Some say it is really all about the boutique you’re visiting. The bottom line is if you’re a fresh face, be ready to kick those $100K Ostrich Birkin dreams wayyy down the road.

In recent years, Hermès has made scoring a hot new bag even more of a Hunger Games with its “By Appointment Only” system rollout. Now, you’ll need to jump through flaming hoops just to be granted an opportunity to get on a waitlist, which itself could mean years of delayed handbag gratification.

In short, if owning that fresh new Hermès bag is your heart’s desire, you better have the patience of a Buddhist monk…or find another way to bypass this ultramarathon to satisfaction.

The patience of a Buddhist Monk
The patience of a Buddhist Monk.

But Wait! There’s a Genius Solution for a Birkin Yearning.

By now, you’re probably feeling a little punched in the gut over just how insanely difficult it is to make a fresh Birkin or Kelly yours. The waitlist odyssey and the gambles of “by appointment only,”- it’s enough to make anyone wave the white flag on their orange box dreams.

But don’t go crying into a pint of Half-Baked Ben & Jerry’s just yet! A fantastic alternative allows you to bypass Hermès’ cruel games altogether: go the pre-owned (but flawless) route.

Going the pre-owned route.

The resale realm is Hermès enthusiasts’ saving grace for scoring their white whales without getting stuck in eternal handbag purgatory.

Whether it’s a Birkin, Kelly, or any other orange box treasure, you can bypass those torturous wait lists if you’re down to explore pre-loved options. For example, at a top-tier site like SehaBags, you’ll soon find a well-curated selection of Hermes bags. They already kicked off their selection with the Birkin 30 in Black.

But it’s not just about accessibility to the unattainable. Buying pre-owned Hermès eliminates the outrageous price gouging on the new market. Thanks to established condition grading systems that appraise bags for even the slightest flaws, you can score immaculate “new” condition pieces for 30% or more off their ridiculous retail prices.

The Birkin 30 in black.
The Birkin 30 in black.

The Birkin: A Better Investment Than Crypto?

Let’s be real – plunking down a year’s rent on a handbag is insane for most people. But this isn’t just any old sack to stash your Taco Bell receipts. When it comes to Hermès, especially the iconic Birkin, that exorbitant price pays for way more than just buttery leather and handcrafted hardware. You’re investing in a timeless, future-proof asset that will quite literally pay dividends for years to come.

While other “it” bags become dated after a season or two, Hermès’ iconic designs like the Birkin and Kelly have an enduring value that remains unaffected by trends. These sculptural masterpieces are built to last decades without going out of style. Just look at vintage pieces from the 80s and 90s that are still commanding top dollar today.

And that’s because each Birkin bag is a labor of unparalleled craftsmanship. We’re talking about a Hermès apprentice artisan undergoing 2+ years of training just to learn the skills required to construct one perfect example. From there, it takes another 12-18 obsessive hours of meticulous assembly, stitching, and hand-embellishment to create. It’s this level of heritage quality that cements the Birkin’s heirloom status.

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Victoria Beckham and her Birkin bag.

An investment class of its own.

This perfect storm of timelessness and straight-up scarcity is what has leveled up the unassuming Birkin into a certified investment asset class all its own. We’re talking value that skyrockets yearly as deep-pocketed collectors scramble to add the rarest, most pristine gems to their reserves.

Just how insane is the Birkin’s rise as a big-buck trading commodity?

Well, according to the latest stats from Knight Frank’s Wealth Report, Hermès handbags topped their Luxury Investment Index for the second consecutive year in 2020, with prices spiking a whopping 17%! This while most investments were getting spanked by the ‘rona.

It turns out that an established online auction presence paired with the appetite for relatively affordable luxe “pick-me-ups” during lockdown (especially in Asia, where many collectors are based) helped cement handbags’ prime positioning.

But the real beauty is that even if you eventually decide to part ways with your Birkin, you can recoup a considerable portion of its original value thanks to the insane demand. At respected resellers, used Birkins in good condition routinely fetch 70-90% of their retail cost on the secondhand market. In many ways, it’s a wiser investment than fine jewelry, which gets marked down significantly once you take it out of the store.

The story behind the Birkin.

The Birkin is the handbag equivalent of the happy little accident that becomes a beloved masterpiece. Its origin story is one of those delightfully unplanned moments that went on to spawn an entire luxury movement.

The fabled tale goes like this: It’s 1981 and English actress/singer Jane Birkin is trying to juggle her belongings on a packed Air France flight from Paris to London. Somewhere between wrestling with her straw tote’s weak handles and bending over to scoop up a spilled content, her seatmate – a dapper older French gent – offers to help gather her essentials.

230718104934 02 hermes birkin bag explainer jane birkin restricted.jpg
Jane Birkin

As the two chitchat, he inquires about the lack of a suitable travel bag for a sophisticated jet setter like herself. Birkin cheekily describes her dream carryall as something spacious yet chic. To her surprise, her new airplane pal introduces himself as none other than Jean-Louis Dumas, the chief executive of Hermès!

Being the savvy businessman he was, Dumas saw an opportunity. He whisked some Hermès artisans to start designing a roomy hand-held based on Birkin’s specifications – sturdy doubled handles, ample interior space, and multiple pockets to organize essentials. Thus, the House’s most iconic bag was born and christened the “Birkin” as a lark.

When it debuted in 1984, the design was an instant hit and set the bag world ablaze. Drawing inspiration from the timeless Kelly style along with Birkin’s signature bohemian nonchalance, it quickly became coveted by celebrities and socialites.

In the decades since its accidental genesis, the Birkin has remained relatively unchanged, save for expanded size, leather, and hardware offerings to meet demand.

The most serious collectors pride themselves on colorful assortments with whimsical drawings hand-painted onto the bag’s body. Hermes delights in feeding this mania with ultra-rare special editions released each season.

The ultra-rare Birkin Picnic
The ultra-rare Birkin Picnic

It was the Birkin frenzy that arguably kicked off our current culture of waitlist mania and breathless bag anticipation. The style is a bona fide luxury icon – all thanks to a cheeky chat on an unassuming flight so many years ago.

Conclusion

The Unmatched Bliss of Finally Scoring Your Hermès Grail.

Let’s face it—the excruciatingly long waitlist process at Hermès boutiques has become an almost impossible barrier to acquiring a brand-new holy grail handbag. With multi-year lead times and ruthless purchase history requirements, scoring a fresh Birkin or Kelly often feels like an unattainable dream.

The pre-owned and pristine market offers the perfect workaround to bypass the endless queues entirely. Through trusted resellers like SehaBags, you can gain instant access to a fully authenticated selection of coveted styles and colors without the ridiculous delay and price gouging.

There are few joys quite like finally getting your hands on that long-lusted-after Hermès piece you’ve spent years obsessing over. It’s an unmatched thrill that makes all the saving, hunting, and waiting worth it. This is true luxury.

Kim Kardashian with an oversized Birkin in New York City (November 2023)
Kim Kardashian with an oversized Birkin in New York City (November 2023)

References

https://www.ultimatedrivingtours.com/hermes-brand-origin/
https://theluxurycloset.com/blog/2017/07/07/history-hermes/
https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/hermes-birkin-celebrities
https://www.reddit.com/r/handbags/comments/12hr9rq/how_much_did_you_spend_at_hermes_before_being/
https://madisonavenuecouture.com/blogs/news/how-to-buy-an-hermes-bag-the-hard-way-and-the-easy-way
https://www.portfolio-property.com/article/view/id/899
https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/07/18/a-happy-accident-the-story-behind-the-birkin-bag
https://www.luxury-shops.com/blog/fascinating-history-behind-hermes-birkin-handbag

Picture references

https://www.purseblog.com/hermes/hermes-new-york-city/
Buddhist Monk Photo by Quinten de Graaf on Unsplash
https://sehabags.com/shop/hermes-birkin-30-black-handbag-perfect-condition/
https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/hermes-birkin-celebrities
https://madisonavenuecouture.com/collections/hermes-picnic-collection
https://pagesix.com/2024/02/02/style/kim-kardashian-selling-rare-crocodile-birkin-for-50k-on-her-familys-resale-site/
https://edition.cnn.com/style/hermes-birkin-bag-origins-cost/index.html

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