Controversy... Hallmarks on hardware

Buying a Hermes has always been an adventure, to say the least, be it at the boutique or from a reseller. I will not advise anyone to buy directly from the owner unless you really know them and what you should look out for. Receipts prove little.

In the last few month, certain incidences have happened that have really shocked me. I will reiterate the importance of having a 3rd party authenticity cert on all purchases.

Personally, I have a lot of faith in Bababebi's services. She has many established clientele including some big names. In addition to having a 3rd party authenticity certificate , I am not saying this to grow my coffers, but having an actual third party facilitating the sale allows you to benefit from the reseller's knowledge, this is a well worth insurance to prevent financial loss. 

Your reseller will be able to touch and feel the bag, subject the bag as well as the individual to a different type of scrutiny. Find a reputable reseller, that has a keen eye that you can trust, give him or her some quiet time with the bag...  

We rarely just have one Hermes, keeping an ongoing relationship with your reseller is beneficial to you and them. 

Recently, there has been a number of individuals that have claimed, just by looking at the hardware on a bag or the foil stamp or even missing stamps, they can make certain judgement calls. Spooking many others. I would like to highlight that the Fonts on the hardware as well as the foil size  have changed consistently throughout Hermes's history. The above pictures are of authentic Kelly bags, whose hardware is contrary to popular belief. 

Protective Bases for our bags

Recently, a friend asked me about various bag inserts and bases that she could use to protect her bag. Reminding me that I have yet to follow up on my previous article as promised. 

Here is one on bag bases. After all , not all bags can take an insert. Take the Lindy and Kelly for example. These bags are either too slim or flexible for and insert. 

Here is an inexpensive way to protect the base of your bag. All you need, is a large wrapping tissue ( you get those with any garment purchase ) and the cardboard base of any paper bag.... These items are all easily available and a great way to recycle, needless to say at no cost to our pockets. 

Below are some examples, basically any laminated cardboard sheet will do. 

Measure the base of your bag, an estimate is good enough... Precision is not important. Cut out the measurements on the laminated cardboard you selected. 

Keep in mind to round the edges so as not to perforate the bag. 

This cardboard piece is to ensure the tissue stays in place and absorb some "shock" 

Wrap the cardboard with the wrapping tissue, going round it a few times, tuck in the sides. Proceed to put it into your bag or clutch! 

Change the wrapping tissue every 6 months or whenever you feel it's dirty. Wrapping tissue also helps with moisture absorption ( so I have been told, will need to verify this claim) , ink, keys and a great contrasting background to look for things.

Do keep in mind that this does not protect the sides of your bag. 

Hope this article is useful.

Slouchy Birkin - Long Overdue post! (How to store your Birkin )

A few moons ago, when i told my friends and clients that I was bringing in a gorgeous Clemence Birkin .. They all went " No!"  

I wondered why and they elaborated "It's too soft! It's grains are too big!"

Some went on to tell me, Clemence is out of the consideration condemned like box calf in Asia. 

Needless to say, this erks me. My love for the alternative to popular leathers is no secret. 

Anyways, when they saw the Clemence, they were pleasantly surprised. At 10 years old, it was stiffer then some less then a year old Togo . They have seen my other Clemence pieces and are amazed at how fine and consistent the grain can be.. It's all about the storage and the individual leather piece.

Anyway, this is not a piece to cause a revolution. Instead, I want to help everyone keep their Birkins and Kellys in shape for decades to come.

Prevention is better then cure, although there is no Hermes that's beyond cure if you know the right Doctor. 

The main contributor to our bags losing shape, getting mold, stretching..etc is improper storage. I will do another piece on use and much later, on leathers that suit your personality and use.

Your Hermes SA will tell you their version of how to store your Birkin, a bag care specialist will tell you another story... You'll now hear my version and form a decision on what works best for you. Do take note that what applies to the climate here in Singapore might not apply to the climate in Australia or Europe. This I believe is the reason for our differences in advice.

If you are lucky enough to have your Hermes Box , open it and check for spots of yellow mold. If it's present, either throw the box away or leave it in the sun. 

Only the box!  Sun every inch of it over 3 days.. This should help kill the mold. Any tissue wraps in these yellowed boxes should be discarded and renewed.  If your box shows no signs of these spots you are safe and have just saved yourself a ton of work.

Dustbag - if your box was spotted, I would advise that you rinse your dustbag, in cold detergent and subsequently in detol , before a final rinse in clear water and Sun it till very dry. If box is pristine or never kept in box, check the areas around it, cabinet, shelf etc. If no sign of mold is present, there is no need to rinse your dust bag. You must keep your bag in some protective dustbag. One that breathes is best. 

Get a dehumidifier sachet or if you have many Hermes pieces, get a container of it and put it where you store your bags. These can be found at any reputable camera shop. Don't get those that turn into water. Those may do more harm then good. Change dehumidifier when crystals change color.

Put these into your box or into your bag( if you have no box), ensuring that the substance (crystal) never touches your bag. This prevents mold and excess moisture seeping into the leathers and expanding it. 

Going onto the bag proper , 

Store your Birkin or Kelly open. Do not close the top flap. This is easier in a Birkin but a little more challenging in the Kelly as the top flap will require some support. If you have the existing felt piece, use it to protect the metal hardware without folding it into the bag. Sometimes the felt interacts with the edging or piping of the bag, ripping it off. 

Stuffing

Loosen the tongues to your bag. Never store it locked on the turn key. Stuff the bag with wrapping tissue or bubble  wrap easily found in diaso or any hardware shop. Do not over stuff! It should just support the bag, not budge it in any way.

In the case of the Birkin, a piece is required for in between the handles. 

Bags should always be stored laying down. If in a box, ensure some wrapping tissue between box and dustbag. If outside, the option is to put a wrapping tissue or similar light material between dustbag and surface or bag and dustbag. This helps prevent transference of any color from area of storage onto the bag. 

Where you store your boxes and bags is another factor. Never too near a window where temperature fluctuates or rain could get it. Not too near the air-con as well. The lower you store your bag, the more moisture there will be. 

These storage tips are useful for those pieces that might be stored for 2 months or more straight. 

Clean your Hermes once a year. For exotics, once every 3 years. Don't know how, send it to Spa or a reputable bag cleaner.

If your bags are rarely used, you can prolong the above. Cleaning prevents staining, I would recommend cleaning it prior to any long storage ( long in my dictionary is 6 months) 

I hope these tips help

My next targeted purchase...Medor 29 Clutch

Everyone has a list of items to acquire ... My list changes constantly. 

After procuring my personal Rouge Hermes Box Sellier at a premium my hunt is on for a no longer in production Hermes Medor 29 Clutch.

Hermes Clutches are more rare then their Birkins or Kellys . This Clutch was only produced for a very short period. 

Owned by every whose who... An avid Hermes Lover would have at least one in her closet! This large clutch grabs your attention and adds just the right edge to any ensemble. Great with Jeans, pants,shorts or dresses.

Keen in one of these? Drop me a message, I have found a few in my client's closets but just not in the color combination that I have in mind. 

Have one to rehome? Write to me and perhaps you are holding onto my next purchase!

Note that the size 29 is not for the faint of heart, love the look but don't want to turn as many heads, fret not, Hermes still produces the size 23.

August Give-Away

August is my month! As such I am sharing the joy of receiving a gift by giving away 1 Brand New Hermes Twilly !! Yay

To participate, all you have to do to get this Vibrant Cordages Twilly is,  go to Swanluxe's Instagram page, like and comment on the post #Freehermestwilly  or #Tagtwilly you may also access our page via this link. http://instagram.com/swanluxe

Under comments just tag your friends. The individual with the most tagged friends will stand to win 1 twilly! 

Tag ends 11th Sept 2359Hrs. 

Only 1 winner will be announced on 12th of Sept, postage is not included.

Please refrain from repeated tagging. Have Fun! 

* Perceived Color of twilly Might be different from color on screen. Actual color is a bluish purple.

Petit H - Limited Edition Art with Class and Conscience

The Petit H line has a great array of variety; from jewelry, ornaments to bag charms. Petit H objects are as expensive as they are rare. Each item is either unique or produced in very limited quantities. 

Usually whimsical, they are made from shelved projects, discontinued leathers or colors and items that do not stand up to standards to carry the name Hermès.

This "new life" line gives rejected leather pelts, broken bits of porcelain, decapitated crystal goblets and strips of silk scarves the opportunity to shine.

This "new" line is the brainchild of Pascale Mussard. Started a few years ago, she, the great-great-great-granddaughter of company founder Thierry Hermès, was in the factory when beautiful fabrics, products and leathers that did not "cut it" and were doomed to be destroyed, felt a deep desire to do something. 

She started keeping bits and pieces and engaged Gilles Jonemann, a jewelry designer working under his own name who held no awe for Hermès bags or silk scarves to aid her.

They worked on it secretly for a year, creating about 100 prototypes. She then took the concept of selling Petit H goods to her family, the lawyers and previous artists that owned the designs of the "parent" product. I am so thankful that she did what she did. Her line has brought new joy to Hermès Lovers. 

As always, these items live up to the expectations and scrutiny of the house of Hermès. The artisans on this line are very experienced and were selected by Ms. Mussard to join the Petit H atelier after proving themselves at Hermès's larger factories. 

Petit H "expresses the values most dear to Hermès," says Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès's artistic director and Ms. Mussard's cousin. He adds that it remains "faithful to the artisan spirit of the house using exceptional discarded materials to create and reinvent beautiful objects full of fantasy which are unusual."

Petit H also allows Hermès to boast—as the company does on its website—"We don't throw anything away." 

So next time you are considering an Art purchase or a Hermès? Get both !

Independent Hermes Authenticators

I was at a gathering some days ago and a close friend asked me a question point blank.

" I was telling my friends about you and they asked, with all the recent scams, how can they tell if a bag is Authentic?"

I get that a lot, and it's tough explaining the meticulous attention to detail and various factors going into an authentic Hermes especially a vintage piece.

To most, unseasoned eyes, it's understandable to apply the rule of thumb on new pieces to vintage pieces but, many enthusiast are unaware that the Hermes Logo, Zipper, Shoulder strap and dustbags have changed over time. Thus rendering that guide partially useless. 

The conversation continued ... " My friend got cheated, a Hermes staff highly recommended a reseller and confirmed that the bag was real, sometime later, when she wanted to sell it, another reseller refused to accept that bag, telling her it was fake. " In such a scenario, which reseller is telling the truth? Sadly, the bag turned out to be fake.

There are other horror stories where they asked a friend to purchase a Brand New In Box with Receipt Piece and it was fake too. Thus my lack of stock on the availability of receipts.

I really feel for these people.

I personally scrutinize every bag for authenticity and go further then most resellers by providing an internationally reputable authenticity cert.

There are many well known providers for such a service,

However, it is my company's policy to only accept and use Bababebi. We are not affiliated in anyway.

Over the years of sourcing for Hermes bags and looking at authenticity certificates. I have found flaws and errors in many certificates. I have been completely satisfied with her level of scrutiny, service and after service. She maybe more pricey then the others, but definitely worthwhile.

Here are some samples of her work.