Amazed By Hermès!

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Recently an Hermès Birkin bag sold at auction for over $200,000 USD.  Holy #$%@&!!  I remember an episode of Gilmore Girls when Logan bought Rory one which caused quite a stir with grandmother Emily.  After all, a Birkin bag meant real love and commitment.  Rory didn't see the significance and simply shrugged it off.  I feel somewhat the same way.

Elizabeth Taylor's vintage fashion collection sold for a record high at Christie's - which we all fully expected, but an Hermès bag?! 

Spice Girl Posh is reported to have more than 100 Birkins in her collection, worth well over $1.5M USD. 

The Muse

On that fateful day in 1984, Jean-Louis Dumas felt so inspired by the struggling actress on board his flight, he named his latest creation after Jane Mallory Birkin.  The two designed the bag together and the rest they say, is history!

Until 2010, there was a very long and impressive waiting list as the bag is not produced on a certain time schedule nor in quantity.  I suppose that with certain things in life, being barely out of grasp - unattainable, is in itself the biggest appeal.  Why do we always want what we can't have?!

Dumas saw the actress struggling with her many smaller bags in the airplane which made him want to design a handbag large enough yet stylish enough for just such an occasion.  This coveted product has no label or branding of any sort, yet it is arguably the most recognized woman's bag in the world.

Posing Posh
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I've heard a rumour that a neighbour of ours is on that list.  I won't be waiting with breathless anticipation to catch a glimpse of her preening around with it.  OK, are some of you out there yelling at me?  Are you offended by my irreverence?  Hey, that's the beauty of being a blogger - good or bad I thrive on all your thoughts and reactions.  So send me some words on this one!

Carol

All Things Gucci

I'm about to shoot myself in the foot. I'm in the vintage fashion biz, but am often stymied by the prices of high end labels. Granted, these items are consistently well made with exceptional detail and material. But $50 000 for a Hermès purse? Not on my watch.

The price for high end label items has become a marketing game. In the last 25 years, to splash a logo on a piece of clothing or accessory was (and unfortunately still is) a sign of being hip, in, wealthy, in-the-know. The problem comes with my old adage...is the item really, really worth it? Certain items are worth it, but most are not. Within the cost of that $50 000 Hermès bag is the splashy and fancy store it is sold in. The Parisienne address - the luxury magazine advertisements. It costs lots and lots of money to promote and that is what the consumer is paying for.

However, there are great deals to be had if you are in the market for a Gucci. I've just found this website http://www.guccibay.com/ that scouts, sells and finds auctions for only authentic Gucci items. Many are from ebay, but they do the work for you.