Comments on: Can a homemade Hermes stand next to the real deal?

By: Sheila

Sheila — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:44:43 +0000

This was obviously for entertainment purposes only. I think for the price of the materials she used, she did a good job. And to “jessica” there is nothing illegal about what she did because she wasn’t trying to pass it as the real thing and wasn’t selling it as such so get over it!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 28 May 2009 05:22:21 +0000

ummm this has to be illegal.
I personally wouldnt carry a fake bag…..EVER.
but it was a pretty good knockoff.
Im kinda hurt though, me being the proud parent of two kelly bags, it sucks seeing the integrity of the kelly being torn to shreds.

Im just begging them not to bootleg the birkin!
because im still on the waiting list to get mine.
6 more months til it gets here.

By: Karina

Karina — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:59:08 +0000

I thought it was a good copy but honestly its not that hard to make the kelly or birkin with good quality materials.
I design handbags and manufacture them in India where labour is cheaper than most places and i have some very high skilled artisans.
With about 200$ I could make a perfect “fake” bag if i wanted its that simple.
And honestly my sister bought a birkin recently for her 35th birthday and i was looking at it very closelt yesterday it has crooked stitching and is far from perfect and given that she paid 10% more than you would anywhere else in the world its kind of appaling.. so i asked her are you paying for quality and she was like its a Birkin…. honestly if my label produced crooked stiching my clients would be apalled!.
And yes its not a fake bought right here in Delhi at the offcial Hermes store.
So i rest my case.

By: gustonegro

gustonegro — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:38:08 +0000

There are some haters out tonight!

I like this piece. I have been eyeing the Steve and Etrivier bags for some time but on my income, it aint gonna happen. I am not sure I want it to, for those prices. What I have considered is finding a course on making leather bags (and found one at the London College of Fashion) and learning also, to make my own. I have even found a supplier for alligator leather.

I am a designer and the Hermes designs are not that complex, otherwise there would not be so many fakes on the market anyway. What they sell is craftsmanship. Any creative person knows that; doing their ever-so-even saddle stitch and using the “finest” leather…

That lady in the piece did a fine job for the time she spent, the materials and her skill level. Of course Claude could do better, but he wasn’t born doing better. I would like to see his first efforts. I think he was genuinely excited to see that she had made an effort, not to fool anybody, but to make something she wanted to have.

Sorry to say, but the (hopefully) few snobs that do lurk out here are sad. If you can afford a Hermes bag, why not be happy about it. Some of us others might like to put out money elsewhere but still can appreciate the style.

Cheers!

By: Merve

Merve — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:13:25 +0000

I really dont appreciate people calling Megs or anyone else who writes this blog for us snarky! We all get bitchy or opinionated about certain posts. Its all in good nature! If you dont like it i suggest visiting other blogs.

By: Pradameinhofgang

Pradameinhofgang — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:51:21 +0000

when i saw the abc news piece it did make me cringe seeing her walk into Hermes with her handcrafted effort, but fair play to Hermes for taking it in the spirit it was intended and not being condescending or snobbish to her. i think the piece was intended as a fun idea, because of Credit Crunch there are reams of magazines and articles in Uk devoted to dressing on a budget, customising and wearing vintage clothes or stuff from Thrift stores. I agree that the homemade Hermes was never going to be the same as the original, but to me it was a homage rather than a copy or fake – purely for the fun of doing it!

I have 2 vintage Kellys and a Birkin but don’t consider myself rich because i have them, i”m just a regular mum who cuts down in other areas of my life so i can have nice bags that i intend to keep forever and pas on to my girls when they are older. Maybe the ultimate message of this film is that we could all do with being a bit thriftier in our day to day lives, lighten up a bit and not get too preachy about Hermes being a holy grail of brands and not ever to be copied – after all, Coco Chanel was the first to make costume jewellery fow women who couldn’t afford the real thing – and now no-one raises an eyebrow about Chanel costume jewellery now, do they!

By: lllfashion

lllfashion — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:10:41 +0000

I totally agree with Meg! I think the guys over at ABC showed no taste by having this woman creating the “it” bags out of cheap materials…They look ugly and I personally would never carry any of them. And this Elle girl, I wonder how she got the job in the first place…I thought the magazine was all about the beauty and art of fashion. Its like encouraging people to create and carry ugly fake designer bags. That’s why I get mad when magazines offer cheap plastic bags. It’s against what they represent…And no editor would ever carry them…
My view is if a woman cannot afford to buy the real thing, aka the designer bag, its better to buy a simple beautiful leather of fabric bag of a “no name” designer and carry it proudly. Or save money and buy one expensive bag instead of 4 “cheap”. It will be worth the money. But to go out with a fake, or a cheap imitation of a designer bag, I think shows no taste. And yes everybody will know the difference…
If you like to make your own bags or clothes, its better to follow your ideas and designs.That’s authentic.Otherwise its a cheap copy.

The pattern for the Birkin could be a nice idea for home decoration…But please do not carry the fake bag around…

By: Empress

Empress — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:49:16 +0000

I like the maroon bag better than the vomit-bark colored bag. That lady sure is crafty! I see nothing wrong with making your own “version” of an expensive handbag… people make their own clothes, why not their own purses too? I like the look of the Kelly, but I do agree with Dimon, that those bags seem better suited for an older distinguished woman (Chanel also).

Now that I know there is a pattern for the Birkin; I think I just might have a weekend project to do! Ooh fun!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:34:05 +0000

I was getting the same vibes as Mindy. I guess now that Meg’s has a birkin that she probably never takes out of her closet, she can be a little snobby towards one news clip?

There is no reason to put Hermes on a pedestal because like Mette said, they are not exactly the most functional of bags…

By: dimon

dimon — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:56:23 +0000

“But just because you got a few Hermes pieces solely due to the popularity of this blog, please don’t preach from the pulpit.” – Whos being snarky now?

I think it has taken a great deal of work to make this blog popular and I hope profitable.

I enjoy the down to earth commentary and reviews as well.

I agree with Mette. I have never understood the adoration for the Kelly or the Birkin. I think they look good on an elderly distinguished sort of lady. Don’t really get Chanel classics either. Sorry!

By: Mindy

Mindy — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:15:13 +0000

I’m a little disconcerted with Meg’s tone in this article.

I think it was pretty obvious that the homemade Kelly could in no way compete with a real Hermes bag in terms of craftsmanship. The woman who made the bag knew it, the host knew it, — even the camera guy knew it. So what’s with the snarky comments?

I like to come to this blog because the reviews and reviewers are down to earth and realistic. Heck, I used to read this blog four years ago when all Meg wrote and obsessed about was the standard Louis Vuitton and Gucci. But just because you got a few Hermes pieces solely due to the popularity of this blog, please don’t preach from the pulpit.

There is a reason her “croc” bag cost $35 to make and why a Kelly croc costs $35,000. And the readers know why too. Just saying – we could do without that kind of attitude.

By: Sher

Sher — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:50:48 +0000

I think it’s fine that the lady made the bag. Hermes offered the pattern on their websight. I think it is amazing that the bag looked as well as it did. It is not a Hermes bag, because it was not made at Hermes. Just a Kelly style bag made my a very smart lady. I have 4 Hermes Kelly’s I bought years ago. I love the look, but they are not that easy to get in and out of. If you use the shoulder strap, they are more easily used. The rigid ones are more durable, but not as comfortable to carry as the soft ones. They are ultimate class though.

By: me

me — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:59:54 +0000

theresa, that’s exactly the point, if this artisan can come so close with $35, what the heck are we supposed to be paying for? I understand that we should covet the brand for the brand and I’m guilty too, but not so guilty as to want to buy a Hermes bag.

By: theresa

theresa — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:13:54 +0000

Ladies great comments but as I am sure you already know the price point on luxury handbags is not determined by the cost of goods to produce them but what a client is willing to pay for the handbag. I formerly worked for a luxury company (not Hermes but of equal stature) in the finance division. My department’s responsibilities included determining the total material and labor costs of each style of handbag. On average the cost of the handbag was about 15% of the retail price (so on a 5K bag you do the math – its a great deal of money but not close to the retail) and the smallest portion of the costs were the materials (ie leather, hardware etc). The rest of the costs are made up of labor, advertising etc etc. Yawn I know.

Luxury companies price their items prohibitively so that they remain exclusive and coveted and it works. If everyone could have one than no one probably would want one. That’s why Hermes has a waiting list for their are absolutely beautifully made and expensive handbags.

By: mette

mette — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:17:10 +0000

An interesting story. I´m just wondering about the Kelly and the Birkin bags. I do like the exotic ones, but I only like them; not having an obsession over them. These bags are not very practical, they are carried `open´because it is difficult to open and close the lock system all the time. They also appear stiff and clumsy. I know that Hermes is an institution and I appreciate their craftsmanship. But why this hullabaloo over these two bags ?

By: Amanda R

Amanda R — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:29:59 +0000

You know what? I think it’s fantastic. Maybe it will encourage more women to channel their inner creativity! I liked the little segment at the end of the video giving viewers different ideas on how to make their own bags that fit the current trends. I also thought that the woman in the video did a great job at making that Kelly for only $35, and who’s to say, maybe Claude was being genuine. After all, he’s an artist and a craftsman, and maybe he was able to appreciate how much work the woman put into her homemade Kelly. I love designer bags, but a real Hermes isn’t going to happen for at least another 10 years. And who knows, maybe I’ll be over it by then!

By: heidi

heidi — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:50:33 +0000

I fully agree with you, Lauren.

And Tammy–the difference is is that this is NOT illegal. Making your own bag even if it resembles a designer bag, is totally ETHICAL and LEGAL because she’s not passing it off as real and most importantly, is not selling it.

What ever happened to the days where thriftiness was encouraged, where mothers who could not afford to buy their daughters that expensive prom dress would whip out their sewing machines and make their own copy of a dress in a magazine? Must everything be bought these days? Must everything have a logo stamped on it somewhere?

Most people simply can’t afford a Hermes, but if they enjoy the style, then rather than buy a fake, or even an “inspired by”, the BEST thing to do is to make your own!

By: lauren

lauren — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:54:56 +0000

Are you kidding me? I do leather crafting in my spare time and for her to make that kelly bag with only 35 dollars worth of materials??? It’s not bad at all…Just think if she was using a couple hundred dollars worth of high quality leather, well then the difference between the snob version and her version would be much smaller wouldn’t it? Besides, it just goes to show HOW EASY it is to make a kelly bag. Hermes just wants you to think they are the only ones capable of making a quality leather bag that of course needs to cost over $5,000. Either way, this was for entertainment purposes, there is no reason to compare this clip to people passing off fakes on *bay. There IS a difference.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:37:20 +0000

I think it was just for entertainment anyway. Makes great TV in my opinion.

By: me

me — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:24:42 +0000

It’s really not bad. It’s not made of exotic, who could pay for that with $35? But it is nicely crafted, and isn’t that what the exorbitant amounts of money spent on Hermes are for?