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
