Why Hermes Bags Are So Expensive

Hermes bags are some of the most expensive, coveted bags in the world. They are the absolute embodiment of luxury, and are known for their quality craftsmanship which has been maintained for over 180 years.

Why are Hermes bag so expensive?

The selling point about Hermes bags is the fact that each bags are made by skilled artisans, and can take days to make. These bags are made with exotic leathers such as Togo leather, swift leather, crocodile skin, ostrich, lizard and many more.

What is the most expensive Hermes bag?

The most expensive Hermes bag is the Himalayan birkin.

Hermes bags range from £6,000 – £60,000, with it’s crocodile skin birkin selling for £500,000 at an auction, which is now known as the world’s most expensive bag.

But what makes Hermes bags so expensive and popular?

Why Hermes Bags Are Expensive

• 1. High quality natural materials
• 2. Hermes excellent craftsmanship
• 3. Each Hermes product is unique
• 4. Hermes’s use of precious gemstones
• 5. Durability of Hermes products
• 6. Limited availability of Hermes products

1. Hermes uses high quality natural material

Hermes uses only natural materials, and the finest ones. For example, their materials include high grade calf leather, ostrich, alligator or even crocodile skin. These materials are sourced by Hermes’s expert leather hunting team, who track down the very best skins from around the world. For example, a crocodile bag requires double the amount of time it takes to produce a bag, as opposed to calfskin, due to how difficult the leather can be to work with.

Although they originally sourced their raw silk materials from China, Hermes decided that their silk wasn’t luxurious enough, and then switched supply to a high grade Brazilian mill. On a silk farm, 250 silkworms each consume 15 kilograms of mulberry leaves before they spinning enough silk thread to stretch 450,000 meters if it was to be unravelled. That’s the amount needed for just 1 Hermes scarf.

2. Hermes’s excellent craftsmanship

Although some other luxury brands often outsource production to countries where labour costs are lower, Hermes pride themselves in making solely handmade products – a work tradition they’ve sustained for 180 years. Hermes goods are put together by skilled artisans, working in the french Hermes atelier (workshop).

Fun fact: Each Hermes atelier has to go through 10 years of apprenticeship before they are given the prestigious title as artisans of Hermes.

Hermes silk scarves for example, are not made by designing on a computer software to visually plan the layout, but instead, are created using classic low tech engraving techniques, where a team of artists engraved the designs on a screen by hand. In this process, a separate screen is used for each colour. The scarves have an average of 27 colours. An average of 750 hours is spent on a single scarf

3. Each Hermes product is unique

Considering the fact that Hermes goods are all handmade, each Hermes items is unique. A birkin is made by 1 single leather worker from start to finish, which takes averagely 18 hours per bag. Due to the fact the bags are made by a single artisan, it allows for individual touches on a item made by the artisan. This means that no stitch is the same.

Some artisans of hermes even say that due to the fact the bags have personal touches, they can spot their work on the hands of celebrities, or whoever is wearing them, thus, making Hermes birkin a work of art. This then increases its desirability and price.

4. Hermes’s use of precious gemstones

Hermes uses shiny gemstones like gold and palladium accessories hardware in their bags, in their clasps, locks and locks. The palladium hardware is said to be even more expensive than the gold. Additionally, customers of Hermes can get diamonds encrusted into the hardware of their bags.

5. Durability of Hermes products

One of the sure things with Hermes products is you can rely on them to last you – for a lifetime. Hermes prides itself on creating products that have long durability. All of their leather goods re sewn together by hand, using a special technique and single piece of thread per bag. This method makes the handbags stronger than anything created by a sewing machine. The gold and palladium hardware also tarnish resistant, meaning they last for a long time and maintain their shine.

6. Hermes limited availability

If you wanted to order an Hermes birkin, you will have to be put on a waiting list. Sometimes, it runs into years. Hermes also have VIP clients who can directly place orders with Hermes. (Meaning you’re important or you regularly spend vasts amount of money in Hermes). Thus, pushing the value of the birkin bag even more.

In the resell market, the prices go for double what Hermes bags are actually priced for. In an Hermes store, a birkin 25cm bag could retail for £6,500. In the resell market, that same birkin 25cm could retail for £18,000, more than double the price.