Herm? S Kelly, Birkin and more bags

Why are Herm? S handbags so expensive? Many are of the opinion that the price is based solely on the brand name, but this is not the case. In fact, of course, the brand influences the price very strongly, but the price is formed not only due to the name, because genuine Herm's bags are made of really high quality. They are made by people who love their work, and naturally receive much more for their labor than Asian workers, whose work is highly valued.

This is in general terms, and now in more detail ...

Prices for the Herm? S Kelly bag start at $ 7,000 and go to infinity if you want to be made using crocodile skin, diamonds or other valuable materials. But, of course, we pay not only for expensive materials or a brand, Herm's bags are so expensive, including because of the complicated process of their creation.

Not everyone is allowed to make these Herm's bags. Most of the company's specialists are trained at the Ecole Gr? Goire-Ferrandi Parisian school, which specializes in leather processing. After graduation, it is time for an internship at Herm? S. It lasts 15 months, during which the novice craftsman makes watch straps, bag handles and other exercises. After successfully completing the internship, the student can finally start making bags. But it will be at least five years before he is allowed to work with materials such as crocodile leather. Herm? S employs about two thousand craftsmen, each of whom specializes in four specific models. Suitcases are manufactured separately. This work is most often done by men, since their creation requires great physical strength.

Each cutter makes five to six Herm's bags a week. First, he carefully examines the leather and decides which part of it is suitable for different details of the future bag. The most popular models have special forms for making patterns, but they are not always used, since the skin of different animals has different elasticity.

The threads that are used to sew together individual parts are also not simple. They do not stretch and are not affected by climatic conditions. The threads are made in hundreds of different colors. And one Kelly bag takes about 20 meters of thread. Before assembling the bag, the thread is treated with wax to keep it moisture resistant and smooth.

The master needs three to four days to collect one bag. The Herm? S Kelly bag consists of about forty pieces that must be assembled together. Some parts of Herm? S bags are machine sewn, such as an inner pocket or a zipper. But even in those parts that are not sewn by hand, special small studs are inserted into the end of the seam to secure the thread. The visible edges of the leather are softened with sandpaper, painted, waxed and polished several times to ensure they are soft, of the correct color and free from damage. The lining of bags is always leather, usually very delicate lamb or morocco leather. Even the zipper teeth are polished so that there are no sharp edges.

After the bag is finished, it must be turned inside out, as most bags are sewn on the wrong side. This is a very delicate process that must be done without the slightest mistake in order not to damage it. Once the bag is turned inside out, it is steamed to ensure the perfect shape and remove all traces of impact.

The final touch is an imprint of the Herm? S logo and the master code. If you return a bag for repair, it will be taken to the exact same craftsman who made it, based on the code. The bag is then wrapped in a special bag and packed in the famous orange box tied with Herm's signature brown ribbon.