One of my absolute favorite websites to browse is Hermes. The design and clever interaction and photos on that web site somehow mixes the perfect dose of fun while staying classic and elegant. The website shows that Hermes wants you to enjoy their brand, and enjoy we do.

While their site brought many fun ideas and photos, the shopping was lacking. Yesterday when I found myself lost in the web world of Hermes I found they have extended the amount of leather handbags they have listed. And now you can buy one of my favorite everyday chic Hermes bags from their website, the Hermes Evelyne.

I have always loved the Evelyne. The long shoulder strap makes this bag work well as a shoulder bag or cross-body bag. There is a perforated leather H plaque on the front of the bag. Many people that are thinking to delve into the world of Hermes but not sure where to start, this would be a good place. The price of the smaller size, the PM, is $2,450. While that is not inexpensive, for Hermes it is a very reasonable price for a leather handbag. There is also a GM version which is larger for $2,750. The leather is clemence which is super supple grained leather and will wear beautifully with time (same leather as my new black Birkin).

To be honest, seeing that they have Raisin, a very coveted deep purple hue, I am itching to buy the Evelyne now as well. I must remind myself of my recent purchase and hold back. Buy through Hermes online.

There was a hope that Megs’ Blue Jean Birkin was going to get a sibling during this NYC trip. I didn’t know she was going to turn out so beautifully photogenic. More info and pictures later this week.

Jean Paul Gaultier’s entire Hermes Spring 2010 collection was a riff on country club chic, and enormous Kellys and Birkins as workout wear, replete with leather tennis ball carriers, were the icing on top of the luxe-prepster cake. Obviously the idea that a white travel Kelly should be slung around the local tennis court is in jest, but the aesthetic does work nicely with the ultraclean lines of Hermes’s signature bags.

Overall, though, I didn’t find myself nearly as blown away as I usually do when looking at a series of the world’s finest handbags. I have wondered before why Hermes doesn’t use more snakeskin in their line, and the oversized python Birkins and Kellys answered that quite nicely – it just doesn’t work. All of the snakeskin bags looked rumpled and, dare I say it, fake. Unless there’s a point that I’m missing, I’m surprised that Gaultier let them walk the runway.

Overall, I find myself a little underwhelmed. The exotic clutches were predictably drool-inducing, and the tennis influence that found its way into the accessories line is very appropriate for brand whose customers probably all count themselves as members of various country clubs. But with the resources and craftsmanship that Hermes has at their disposal, I was hoping for a bit more.

                                        

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt tend to drive most of us crazy. There are the fans, but many people love to hate this duo. Who is laughing all the way to the bank? Speidi. And after they put their money in the bank, Heidi Montag purchases the most absurd amount of designer handbags. Her bags are expensive, trendy, exotic, and the collection does not stop growing. Promoting themselves, Heidi’s Playboy cover, and whatever else, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt were spotted at LAX today.

No matter how amazing her collection of handbags appears, Heidi has the capability of making amazing bags look ridiculous. Take her oversized Hermes Birkin Haut à Courroies (HAC) that she was spotted carrying today for example. I have always yearned for a Hermes travel Birkin, but after I see it on Heidi I cringe a bit.

Hermes, a brand known for understated elegance, must be nauseous after seeing these photos. Certainly, Spencer holding up the Playboy magazine with Heidi on the cover, as they pose to kiss does not help the overall look. Many others sport large Hermes travel bags, like Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham, they just wear it with much more class. I will continue to love this bag, but wish someone would nab it from Heidi and wear it with some grace.

I completely baby my Hermes Birkin. I only own one and it is my holy grail. I specifically remember learning about the infamous Birkin Bag first my sophomore year in high school. A “wait list” I asked? What kind of price tag? It seemed shocking, but my friend and I made a pact to own a Birkin at some point in our lives. I made a point to call her when I got mine two years ago.

The one piece of advice I would give anyone waiting for a Birkin:

Wait until you can get the exact bag of your dreams. Want a specific color, hardware, size, leather: Wait for it. When spending that much on a handbag, you should get the exact bag you wished for. I got mine, a 30 cm Blue Jean Birkin in Togo leather with Palladium hardware.

Yesterday we took her out for a photo shoot. The sky was perfectly blue and the sun was radiating, though it was so unbearably hot that I flooded my body with bottles of water until I felt the urge to fall off that bridge and float away. The Blue Jean color from Hermes is widely recognized and widely sought after. I love the splash of color, which works for every season and every color palette. And the bag itself, a work of art.

The economy may be hurting world wide, but those that love Hermes are still buying. In fact, Hermes has resorted to breeding its own crocodiles on farms in Australia to meet the demand for its exotic bags. It is reported that Hermes makes around 3,000 crocodile bags every year and demand continues to grow while the crocodiles are not readily available to fill orders. It can take three to four crocodiles to make one Hermes bag, so the move to use their own farms makes sense.

While other brands are hurting, Hermes continues to churn sales increases. Along with their own crocodile farms in Australia, Hermes is also hiring an additional 50-100 leather workers to join the staff of 2,000 in Paris. What does this mean for us? An easier change to purchase a Hermes crocodile bag, if we have the funds to do so.

[Story via Reuters]

PARIS (Reuters) – French luxury goods group Hermes has resorted to breeding its own crocodiles on farms in Australia to try to meet demand for its leather bags, its chief executive said on Monday.

Customers sometimes have to wait several years for certain exotic-skin bags, which can fetch over 35,000 euros ($48,410).

“It can take three to four crocodiles to make one of our bags so we are now breeding our own crocodiles on our own farms, mainly in Australia,” Patrick Thomas told the Reuters Global Luxury Summit in Paris.

Hermes already faces a major challenge producing 3,000 crocodile bags a year, Thomas said, adding: “The world is not full of crocodiles, except the stock exchange!”

Crocodile farming can be expensive, with the reptiles having to be kept apart in separate rooms to protect their skins from bites, but even so allowances have to be made for natural losses that can amount to around a third of bred crocodiles.

Hermes’ leather goods, which account for 40 percent of its business, have been the most robust in the current downturn with the group taking on 50-100 leather workers this year to add to the 2,000 craftsmen it already employs at French sites.

Thomas admits the group has been pushing other areas of the business, such as fashion and textiles, so it is not so reliant on leather bags, but says this area continues to be its fastest-growing product line.

“We cannot face demand. We have massive over-demand. We are limited by our ability to train new craftsmen,” he added.

Well, the sales increase isn’t worldwide. Sales fell modestly in Europe and experienced a double-digit decline in luxury-goods-obsessed Japan, but the brand saw increases large enough in non-Japanese Asia to more than make up for decreases elsewhere. The increases were seen mostly in South Korea and China, which many industry watchers regard as somewhat of a Last Frontier of luxury retail.

So what does this tell us? First of all, we should all remember that signs of strength in the global economy probably mean good things for those of us in America. Our economy is incredibly interconnected with those of other nations, particularly China, and we can’t start to make a significant recovery without signs that are trading partners are also ready to move forward economically. Sales increases of luxury goods mean that consumers in other countries feel confident in the direction in which the economy is headed, and maybe a little bit of that consumer confidence will rub off on other markets. Lastly, it’s a good reminder to all businesses that there are still markets out there that are spending money. Finding them may be a challenge, but it can and will be done. So congratulations, Hermes, on a game well played.

Article via Forbes.com

Click to watch the ABC Video clip

There has been an interesting discussion taking part on Purse Forum on a news clip. ABC popped into Hermes on Madison Avenue in NYC and spoke with the Hermes-god-placed-on-Earth himself, Claude Gandrille. I was shocked to see Claude on ABC speaking about Hermes, as the brand is so secretive and keeps mum about their happenings. Furthermore Claude is rather quiet himself, typically found diligently working in his back right corner of the shop. But they got an interview with Claude. Somehow a slew of video cameras came into Hermes as well, when a simple movement of your camera phone on any other day will send the security upon you in less than 10 seconds.

Next ABC decided to enlist Michelle, a do it yourself artisan, to create a Hermes Kelly for $35. She did so by using the Hermes Kelly pattern found on the Hermes website (we created our own Hermes a while back). Michelle spent two days creating a Hermes Kelly that was made to resemble a classic Kelly and a Crocodile Kelly. Afterward she hit the streets to see if people could spot the real bag. They could. Better yet, she went to Hermes to see what the sale associates and Claude thought. Are you kidding me – I nearly fell off my chair at this point trying to hold in my anticipation of their reactions. The sale associates laughed and tried to tell her it was good. Claude was dying on the inside, though on the outside he held it together and told her “This is wonderful”. Claude was lying, I know it.

What gets me is after this piece, the ABC anchor goes on to say you can get that ‘blueprint’ on Hermes and try it yourself. So let’s make more wannabes and give more counterfeiters the idea. Not that the design would have stumped anyone who knew handbags. Obviously the quality was about a millionth of what a true Hermes bag is. And that cracked, dry tree-bark pattern on the ‘crocodile’ Kelly Michelle made was heinous. Either way we enjoyed the video because we got to see Claude; Vlad and I love Claude! And we did not take it too seriously, it was just for fun anyhow. [video HERE]

What do you think?

Well, if this CraigsList ad for temporary sales associates is to be believed, anyway. Women’s Wear Daily seems to confirm it, although I’m cheap and don’t have a subscription, so I can’t see the entire article.

What does this tell us? Well, it tells us that the Hamptons are still a little annoying, in a Real Housewives of New York, fabulously awful way. It also tells us that there’s hope for our economy yet – keep spending, obscenely rich people! And keep going on vacation! Hermes wants to give you a way to do both, simultaneously, and if that isn’t the American way, then I don’t know what is.

The rare dark red crocodile Hermes 45cm HAC was made in 1972. The bag was given to Christie’s to be auctioned, and was said to be sold for a reported $40,700. The price was not out of this world, as many Hermes items that are rare may go for much more. The Crocodylus porosus is an exotic staple of the house, highly sought after, highly stunning, and highly priced. Not that going without an exotic version would be settling, but I would settle for a leather HAC that could be used as a travel bag. Find more Hermes items at Christie’s to tantalize your handbag obsession and love. Via Christie’s.

      

Honestly, I am nothing but grateful that paparazzi do not follow me around and photograph me. Because I guarantee you that I look nothing like Victoria Beckham arriving at any airport, ever. I won’t lie, my attempt to travel in style across the ocean usually involves stretched-out-size-too-big-jeans, a nice sweater, and sneakers. And even if Victoria Beckham changes while on board into something more comfy, I still feel badly for her.

Here Victoria Beckham was spotted arriving in London at Heathrow airport over the weekend sporting her beautiful Hermes Tricolor Kelly. Victoria Beckham is a huge fan of the Hermes Kelly style, as we have seen her carrying many of the versions, including: Hermes Kelly Longue, Hermes Kelly Pochette, Hermes Kelly Lizard Pochette, Black Kelly, and a white Hermes Kelly with orange piping. And while many are not huge fans of VB, I really love her coat with this tricolor Kelly and her Louboutins.

Images via Splash

While fashion week aimed its focus on ready-to-wear fashion, the Hermes bags and accessories were not neglected by any means. The Hermes Shoulder Kelly finally makes its debut in joint lizard skin (a new technique for this year), new Ombre Lizard accessories in form of a smaller, 23 centimeter size Medor clutch (available in Box and exotics) and new, matching gladiator heels.

Straight from the Hermes forum, we learn the following bits of information. Thanks TT!

The shoulder JPG birkin will officially be replaced by the shoulder JPG Birkin II. The bag will have two pockets inside (one meant to be for the cell phone), the HAC style closure will be replaced by a real Birkin closure, and the bag will loose some of its width compared to the old JPG Shoulder birkin in order to fit better under the arm.

The shoulder Kelly we saw in the show IS BEING PRODUCED, and as a matter of fact they already ordered some for next S/S 09. It will be made in Taurillon clémence, in more or less all the colours they do in this leather, and the lizard one was obviously just a sample for the show. I don’t know anything about SO in other leathers or exotics, sorry. It has a pocket inside, and despite what we saw in the show he told me it is as big as the JPG Soulder Birkin, he specified that the reason for wich it appears smaller is that the width has been reduced (just like in the JPG Birkin II version).

Verdict? Well done Hermes, you gave us just enough to keep my wife lusting and begging for months to come. Your devoted collectors will soon be rushing to the pinging homing beacons of their favorite boutiques to lust and acquire. Resistance is futile.

YouTube video of the runway show below:

Images via Style.com

If its title did not leave you in sheer awe and exhilaration, these images will. Meet the 35 centimeter Hermes Birkin in Matte Poro Crocodile in Blue Brighton with Diamond-encrusted Hard Ware.

Lucky Lady Vernilover recently picked up this seriously stunning piece on a recent trip, and I could not resist to share it with our PB readers. I am not sure about the price, but my guess would be in the ballpark around $160,000. Available through select Hermes boutiques around the world.

As many struggle in this economy, the French fashion house Hermes flourishes. The company turned in a 24% gain in U.S. sales for the first half of the fiscal year. While other luxury companies are struggling, the exclusive Hermes continues to churn out sales. Now, I must admit, my luscious Hermes Kelly Long Wallet in alligator goes to show that we, the people, are still shopping and buying ridiculously expensive bags from the luxury house. There are plenty of Crocodile Birkins, Kellys, scarves, and chinaware being bought along with all other exclusive Hermes goods to keep the brand bringing in a profit. Also, the price hikes are not hurting.

The article in Forbes is really interesting to hear that the old luxury model Hermes uses is so different from other brands, and continues to prove profitable. What else do you think makes Hermes stand apart from the rest?

Read the full article via Forbes

In the first half of the fiscal year, the company saw a 24% gain in U.S. sales. Worldwide, sales increased 12.8% to 813.2 million euros ($1.3 billion) from 721.1 million euros ($1.1 billion) in the same period the year previous. Second quarter sales were just-as-impressive worldwide, up 12.1% to 398.1 million euros ($631 million) from 355.5 million euros ($564 million) in 2007.

Unlike many of its competitors, including major French conglomerates Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and PPR, owned by billionaires Bernard Arnault and Francois Pinault, respectively, the brand has been able to increase sales by continuing to please its core customer, rather than aiming to attract a broader audience. At Hermès, you won’t find a $500 dollar handbag like you will at PPR-owned Gucci, or $300 plastic costume earrings, which are on sale at privately-owned Chanel. Instead, the 170-year-old company focuses on producing limited editions of their handbags, which begin at $5,000.

“What’s really interesting about Hermès is that they have not followed the typical luxury model,” says Lucian James , president of Agenda Inc, a brand strategy firm in Paris and San Francisco. “When other luxury brands were reaching to a slightly bigger mass market, Hermès made a very specific decision not to do that.”

It does not happen all that often that my own passions directly collide with my fiancee’s and I have the opportunity to tell you all about it in excitement. You must know that I have been hooked on biking – both mountain and road – for as long as I can remember. The love for cycling must have started when I was 4 and my mom first took off my training wheels and I crashed (head first) into a deep ditch.

French high-end luxury designer house Hermès now offers a very chic two-wheeled alternative to those ladies who want to take their love for fine leather craftsmanship to the winding coast trails of Saint-Tropez on the early Sunday morning croissant run. Meaghan and I first spotted the Hermes bike at the Bal Harbour boutique a few weeks ago, but obviously did not have a chance to take any pictures. Fortunately, there is tPF membre extraordinaire Vernilover. She was so kind to allow us to show you pictures of her recent and unique $3,500 purchase and present it in all its beauty.

Hermès collaborated with dutch bicycle manufacturer Batavus and adorned an Old Dutch with meticulously stitched leather accents on saddle, handle bar grips, as well as the frame’s two main down tubes. The 3-speed bike maintains its old original black finish while the leather accents play a significant role in bumping up Batavus’ original $799 price tag. No word whether the Ladies Dutch Bent version comes in a male variety with straight tube.

Personally, I would prefer function over luxury when purchasing a $3,500 bike. Though I can see it being a neat alternative for those lucky few who have everything and still long for more. The only question to me at this point is… how large of an orange box does this Hermes bike come in?

Time to put an end to the suspense. We previously teased you with the orange box, now it’s time to show off the goods. This being Megs’ first dive into Hermes exotics, the Hermes Kelly Long Wallet (officially: Money Holder) in orange matte alligator is the quintessential combination of skin and tone from the House of Hermes. Megs had been contemplating to go exotic with Hermes for a while – when our Hermes SA contacted us and we learned about this beauty’s immediate availability, there was not much hesitation. The wallet is made from matte Mississippi alligator and dyed in Hermes’ signature orange color. The gator version is denoted by the small square printed by the Hermes logo. This exotic skin is mainly reserved for Hermes’ smaller leather goods, larger bags are very rare in alligator.

This Kelly Long variety also comes in other leathers. It is available in mysore goatskin, box calf and epsom calfskin in a broad variety of colors. Prices for the regular leather versions range around $2,350. Needless to say, this exotic version is a wee bit more expensive. Inquire with your local Hermes boutique if interested.

Click the thumbnails to enlarge the image!

… for me to leave the office, head upstairs, lock myself in the new photo studio (that I built over the past week) and get shooting.

I have gone back and forth on the decision of the Hermes Lindy. The fact is, I love the bag but was not sure it is for me. My SA has had me try it on before and as I have been speaking with my SA we have realized that my next purchase should be a Lindy. The Hermes Lindy has become a house favorite as it offers a more casual feel with every sophisticated touch Hermes is known for. The Lindy features a double sided compartment for ease of separation and use, along with a center that collapses in while being carried. Last week in Saks Vlad and I saw a woman wearing a casual sundress paired with a Graphite Lindy. Everything about her outfit and look was perfect, and the Lindy truly finished it off! While I meticulously pick which color is good for me, I still have a dream Lindy, my holy-grail of Lindy’s. The Hermes Crocodile Lindy is what I call 100% drool worthy. Matte crocodile from the house of Hermes is divine, as it ages it develops the perfect gloss. The Lindy above is graphite 30 Lindy in ultra-supple matte niloticus crocodile. I can not control my love of the handbag when I see it, for every part of me wants it. But the closest I will get to that bag now is in my dreams, because the price is out of my budget. So while I carefully pick my next Hermes bag purchase, I will continue to yearn for the ‘too-expensive-right-now’ Hermes Crocodile Lindy. The price of leather Lindy’s range in the $5,000’s while the price of the Crocodile Lindy, well, as much as I want to know I also don’t want to know. Inquire at your local Hermes boutique.

I just confirmed price of the Hermes Crocodile Lindy is $22,700. Precisely as I expected, out of my budget!