How To Buy A Hermès Bag: A Buyer Advises For Kelly 25 Retourne

Here I tell you how to buy a Hermès bag if you are thinking of a Kelly, Birkin, or Constance

This article has all the answers!

Instructions on how to buy a Kelly or a Birkin from Hermès by yourself

So, how to buy a Hermès bag? I’ve got my Kelly 25 Retourne from a store in Lisbon (which I agree with you, it’s not Paris…but hey! it’s Hermès! It doesn’t matter which country it is in).

It is equally hard to get to where it is in France, Portugal, etc.

I assume that before reading this, you have already tried your luck at least at one of the Hermès stores out there.

Most likely, you did not succeed during that interview (and yes, your visit to the store is not just any visit – it becomes an interview).

Before we start, ensure you know how to pronounce Hermès correctly because you don’t want to create inconvenient situations with your seller.

Hermès is a French brand, so you should pronounce it in French: “ehr-mez”.

The H letter is silent, and S is pronounced as ”Z”. To be 100% sure, call the official store, and you will hear their ringtone pronouncing Hermés correctly.

Why Lisbon is the best location for getting Hermés bags

The official Lisbon store is located at Chiado, near the central shopping mall Armazém do Chiado.

Of course, in comparison to all the others, it’s tiny in terms of the store size as it only has two tiny rooms—one entrance with their famous Brasilian silk scarves at the very entrance, which directs you to other leather goods, jewellery and makeup items space and the other one with shoes and a huge mirror.

Nevertheless, the staff is more welcoming, friendly, and helpful than everywhere else in the world (this is why I love them and always prefer them).

But before you decide to visit the store, please remember that you might want to follow a couple of rules.

Prepare your outfit before going to buy a Hermés bag

Please note that it’s better to choose a classic or neutral color, such as black, grey, white, or beige (my favourite one).

The seller needs to have a specific impression of you.

That is why you must represent yourself as a confident, classy woman who can afford everything in the store without looking pretentious and as if you spent a lot of time preparing for the store visit.

It must look effortless (of course, in accordance with your personality).

The look should not show that you were trying too hard (consider something that would be casual chic).

On that day, I wore beige palazzo pants, a simple, monotonous white linen shirt, a brown leather jacket, white loafers, and a thin waist.

What could be your perfect variant for the Hermés interview?

Top preferences for Hermés interview

If you don’t know where to start, please check in your wardrobe if you have a classy white cotton/linen shirt or a silk blouse (in case you don’t have one, you can check something affordable like Massimo Dutti or any other mass-market store). What’s important is to wear good-quality basics.

In that case, I would ask you to leave your beautiful ruffled top, striped pattern blouse, see-through lace designs, etc…

Trust me, this is not where you need to show off your funny summer gems.

Okay, so we have a white shirt…now we can build your impeccable outfit.

If that is too hot for you to take a blazer or a leather jacket, you can stay like this.

If not, please find a simple black/white or beige blazer (again, no summer patterns, no bright colors, no flowers or butterflies.

If you truly know your seasonal color palette that fits your skin, eye, and hair color perfectly, feel free to use colors other than just the basics.

For example, I can use emerald green, electric blue, deep red, and other bright colours as my basics.

Here you can learn about your seasonal color palette.

Bottom preferences for Hermés interview

To make this look more classy-casual, you need to have jeans or pants (palazzo pants in my case) that would look just perfect on you (once again, please, no distressed style and no holes.

Preferably, your trousers are of basic colors like navy blue, beige, black, or white.

A design could be different: flared, high-waisted, straight, cropped, or skinny. Whatever looks better on you.

A dark pencil or lightweight over-the-knee-length slip skirt would also be great if you want more class.

Choose your perfect shoes

And now choose your shoes. I would recommend something with a pointed toe to make it all classy.

If you feel comfortable in ballerina shoes, feel free to choose those (I chose loafers as they have more structure, and I don’t like feeling the ground through the flat sole).

The most desirable choice is classic mid-heel pumps or kitten heel pumps.

How to choose a bag for luxury shopping at Hermés

Now…ideally would pick a very classy and classic-looking bag (if you can, you should wear a bag that is no less than 2000$ if that is a recent release from other luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, etc.

I believe that by now, you have already asked Google, “How much does a Birkin purse cost?

One big piece of advice: If you own a Hermès bag, it’s best to visit the store with it! That will give you much more credibility!

However, you can also take something less eye-catching, like a mini with no visible logo (no visible name) of any price.

It’s better if the bag is made of genuine leather and looks presentable.

Jewellery preferences for the Hermés interview

Darling, please don’t forget that you are a beautiful woman, and I want to emphasize that with some tiny golden earrings like studs or my favourite piece – a pearl necklace.

Finish that with simple makeup, as one coat of mascara, a bit of blush, and a pinkish lip balm would do.

Make sure that your hairdo is fresh and fits the style you chose.

Now you are ready to buy your Hermés bag!

Remember, confidence is your best makeup and outfit!

Smile and be polite, ask for help, and ask constructive questions.

Try perfumes, check other things in the store, and don’t look for prices because they might not always be there.

If a seller gives you their business card, you can relax!

You will probably be asked for your contact information and name for the waiting list.

Finally! All you have to do is wait a bit.

I got my Kelly within two months (and believe me, it’s a short time since people have been waiting for years!).

By the way…

If nothing works for you, I found a way to avoid this Seller-Buyer Hermés game.

Of course, it’s a reseller, and one of my best recommendations is Vestiaire Collective. 

They work directly with sellers on sourcing luxury items on the website. Private buyers trust the network to source authentic and highly in-demand items.

The items can be new, hardly used, or previously used. 

I use their service and can heartily suggest it. 

Take a look around!

By the way, if you would like to learn how to wear high tea outfits, check out this article. It tells you all about it!

Being able to buy a Hermés bag can be a fulfilling experience.

But with various options, you need to consider some crucial factors to find the right one that suits your needs.

So, if you plan to buy one, remember the information discussed above. 

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