6 minute read
Ria Elaina – Paris & My Hermes Journey
RIA ELAINA ATKINS
A MUM’S LIFE
LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF – I’M RIA, MUM OF TWO, MARRIED TO MY HANDSOME HUBBY. I’M BORN AND BRED IN MY BELOVED SURREY AND SPEND MOST OF MY TIME BETWEEN HERE AND LONDON. I’M A HANDBAG AND SHOE ADDICT AND LOVER OF ALL THINGS LUXE.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RIA’S LUXE LIFESTYLE FOLLOW HER ON INSTAGRAM @RIA.ELAINA
Paris And My Hermes Journey
And My Hermes Journey
If you follow me on Instagram you would have probably been bombarded with stories of me either eating, hotel hopping or shopping in Paris (sorry not sorry!) After rebooking 2 years in a row, I was finally able to take my Mum for her belated 60th Birthday. Of course we had to stay at none other than The Ritz, which is known for its opulent decor and impeccable service. From the moment we arrived we were treated like royalty. Our room had been decorated with balloons, pictures of my Mum and I, a freshly baked cake and a bottle of the house Ritz Rothschild champagne!
As Paris is the fashion capital of the world, it would be rude not to go shopping, right? I had planned to get an appointment at Hermes, but things don’t always go to plan. I will explain more about this later…
I get asked all the time, how do you get a Birkin bag? I would say there is no fixed rule on this but I will share my journey with you. Firstly, I have to say that these bags are very special. Did you know that each bag is hand crafted by one artisan who has had at least 5 years training. Only the finest leathers are used and it takes around 48 hours to make a bag, hence the reflection in price. I adore the brand and always thought how elegant Birkins and Kellys were. I have done so much research on leathers and colours over the years and have always desired to own one of these coveted bags. Hermes like to see that you are genuinely passionate about the brand and not just a reseller trying to make money.
I would say that it helps to stick to one store and one sales associate (SA) that you get on with. That way they can get to know your style and likes/ dislikes which enhances your shopping experience. Only then may you be lucky enough to open up a wishlist where you can request a bag with the colour and specs of your choice. I have been shopping in the same store since 2013 and have been offered 2 bags since. My old SA was so kind, I would sometimes go into the store when I was passing with no intention of buying anything and he would offer me a coffee and
we would sit there chatting! I was really gutted when he left but immediately clicked with one particular lady who was so sweet to me from the moment I walked in. She is now my new SA and I only buy items through her. I am lucky enough to have been offered a special order too which I placed in January. I believe this is due to my great connection with her, rather than my purchase history. A special order is an order where the customer is allowed to select certain options such as particular seasonal colours. That bag is then made especially for that customer based on those specifications. I believe that each SA can choose one person once to twice a year so I feel very privileged to be offered. I cannot wait to show you what I got!
It is important to say that I only buy items I genuinely want. There is no point buying a load of items in the hope to be offered a bag as you may not get offered one and this then leads to disappointment. It really is a waiting game and this is why you have to genuinely love the brand. If you are not prepared to wait and do not fancy anything else from the brand then I would say it is better to buy a bag directly through a trusted reseller. Be prepared to pay a premium price but then at least you get exactly what you want straight away and you are not wasting money on unwanted items. My third Birkin bag was bought through a reseller (Sign of the Times) as it was a very rare colour and size and I knew I probably wasn’t going to get it in store.
Paris is the only store in the world where you can buy a bag without a purchase history (supposedly). You have to make an appointment online through their booking system the day before you want to go which is a random selection. If you are lucky enough
to get an appointment, you have the opportunity to be offered your dream bag. I attempted 3 times to make an appointment for each day I was there (It won’t let you do more than 1 a day). I wasn’t lucky enough to get one. I still went into the store as I wanted to buy a twilly scarf for a little memory of my trip. I started chatting to a sales associate. I told them I had a good purchase history in London and how passionate I was about the brand. I was polite and friendly as I always am. I even had my Birkin with me! But no... I still was not offered a bag. So please be aware that even though people say it’s easier to get a bag in Paris, this is not always the case. I am obviously very grateful for the bags that I have and I look forward to passing them down to my daughter one day. I still have my special order coming so I will be patiently waiting for that! Please be aware that this is my journey and it may be different for others.
And now back to reality which is my pile of laundry and a tonne of housework to do before school pick up time! Au revour x
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