A long journey
Why is the process of buying an Hermès bag so long and arduous?
The desire to get a Birkin or a Kelly becomes greater and greater the longer the wait, the harder it seems to reach the moment of arrival.
It's all about brand heritage: let's start from a marketing basis to understand what lies behind a historic brand like Hermès.
Historical brands, representing the quintessence of luxury, were founded by a single enlightened entrepreneur and dedicated to selling exclusive objects of fine craftsmanship.
The Couturier, thus an artisan, founded the company and the origins are much more important than the present. Moreover, even today the company is in the hands of the original owner and has not been sold to any large luxury group.
The strategic model makes use of several variables, such as the historical origin of the company, the concept of 'Made In', i.e. the place of origin, which is very important to give added value to the positioning, the type and image role of the founder, which is always fundamental to the positioning.
Keeping one's position in one price range is then important to define one's position in the market and the naming strategy also plays the same role.
Historical brands have enormous control of the value chain and target their customers very much, in the case of Hermès only customers belonging to the elite.
In the marketing mix, the type of product offered is fundamental and the creativity depends on the flair and genius of the person in charge. The actual quality is very high, the products are handmade by master craftsmen working in manufacturing workshops to maintain direct control; the raw materials are of the highest quality and sometimes the company even owns the place where they come from, in fact Hermès owns a crocodile farm. Iconic and legendary products such as the Birkin, Constance and Kelly handbags are cornerstones of the brand identity.
The price for the typical consumer of a luxury brand is irrelevant, as they have a very high purchasing power, but this legitimises the positioning of the company, absolute and inaccessible luxury.
The storytelling of luxury brands is purely related to the heritage and history of the founder, they are the 'Top Of Mind' of Fashion globally.
Distribution is global but selective: few single-brand shops, 70% owned and 30% franchised, where the shopping experience is fundamental, as is location, position and brand image.
Hermès was founded in 1837 as a small Maison dedicated to high-end equestrian accessories. The Maison's historic creative directors include names such as Martin Margiela, Jean-Paul Gautier, Christophe Lemaire and Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski.
Hermès has demonstrated its ability to develop a lifestyle idea characterised by luxury and refinement. It has always worked with materials of the highest quality through an unprecedented craftsmanship savoir-faire, making each type of product by hand. This production principle has remained unchanged and has contributed to making his creations highly coveted objects.
Today, Hermès is a true universe of excellence, both in terms of clothing and design.
More than any other brand, it has been able to conceive accessories that have made history, starting with the Kelly, one of the world's most famous bags. Born in 1892 as the 'Haut à courroies', it was reinvented and renamed more than sixty years later, when Princess Grace Kelly was photographed holding it in front of her to hide her pregnancy.
Then came the Birkin, which originated from a conversation between Jane Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas, then president of Hermès. Similar to the Kelly, in a larger size and softer leather, it is now one of the most desired handbags in the world. The emblem of the luxury accessory and also a must-have investment for vintage lovers.
Today, the Birkin is an object of desire that has become increasingly rare and unattainable for those without great financial resources and virtually infinite patience.
The purchase process is very curious and almost absurd for non-enthusiasts. First of all, you need to locate a trusted boutique and 'woo' it. Become loyal, buying often in that shop and making friends with the Sale Assistant of reference. Becoming a customer gives you access to a preferential channel and puts you on the wishlist to reserve your dream bag.
In the wishlist, you can indicate materials, colours and finishes. While waiting, you should continue to frequent the boutique and spend. The more you buy, the shorter the time. It is equally important to make sure that you are ready when the Birkin arrives. It will then be shown to you in a room reserved for 'Very Important Clients'.
The price, as we said, is derisory for the typical customer of a brand like Hermès, but indicatively the bags are priced from 8,000 for the smallest size and 11,000 for the largest and can reach truly dizzying figures.
Do you too have a Birkin as a dream? ;)
