Owning a Hermes Birkin or Kelly puts you in pretty elite group of bag aficionados. But did you know, there’s an even more prestigious level of customized customer service? It’s the exclusive Hermes Horseshoe Club. No, it’s not like you get frequent buyer points to be used for a new purchase (but wouldn’t that be great). It is the ability to design and special order your Birkin, Kelly or Constance. And it’s not available to everyone and anyone.
In this four part series we demystify the Special Order experience. In this installment, we investigate and report on the ins-and-outs of the process. In part two, some special fashionistas share their Special Order tales. They each report how being offered to create a SO made them feel.
What is a Hermes Special Order?
A Hermes Special Order (SO) is the opportunity to customize a handbag from a predetermined selection of offerings twice a year. Hermes decides the selection of styles, leathers and colors that can be custom ordered. Popular styles include the Birkin, Kelly, and recently the Constance but other handbag styles are available. Leather choices range from togo, chèvre, clemence, swift, exotics and more. For each leather and each season Hermes designates which colors will be offered in which leathers. Hermes lists which specific leathers will be used for each design feature such as linings, handles, sangles etc; Hermes also offers hardware options that do not come on standard handbags such as brushed gold, brushed palladium or rose gold. Building your handbag allows you to customize details such as pocket location and strap length, and even lets you add personal touches such interior initials.
How do I receive the opportunity to place a Special Order?
Before you rush into your local Hermes store to place a SO, you should know it is not available to just anyone. Hermes Special Orders are offered to individuals that have demonstrated loyalty to the brand, their store and a sales associate through a strong purchase history.
Placing a SO is at the discretion of the director of the store. The sales associate must receive approval from the director before offering a SO to any of his/her clients. Corporate Hermes limits the number of Special Orders granted to each individual store and the number may vary from store to store. It is therefore possible that only a few sales associates have the opportunity to share the offer with clients. If you are lucky enough to finally place one, the final order needs to be approved by the store director before submitting to Paris. Paris then reviews the order and occasionally choices can be rejected.
When can Special Orders be placed?
Special Orders can only be placed twice a year at certain prescribed time. Hermes dictates a specific window of time during which each store must complete their special orders, which is usually after “podium”. Podium is the sales director’s biannual trip to Hermes in Paris to make buys for his/her store for the following season. Directors can place podium orders which are special requests for their store clients. This must not be confused with SO’s.
How long does it take to receive a Special Order?
There is no magic answer here. Based on anecdotal information, a SO can take as few as 4 months and as long as 3 years+. Recently, most special orders seem to arrive within a 6-7 month timeframe – but there is no guarantee. Hermes has simplified the process by offering fewer options, which may have expedited the process overall. In some countries the SO counts towards the quota of one bag per semester and in some countries it does not. The quota restricts anyone from purchasing more than one Birkin, Kelly, Kelly Pouchette or Kelly Cut in one semester. There are two semesters per year.
How much does a Special Order bag cost?
There is no additional cost. The total cost will vary based on the cost of the leather you select. In other words, there is no premium for a Special Order, but you will pay the price of the individual customizations.
How can one spot a Hermes Special Order handbag?
Special Order bags will always have the special horseshoe stamped to the left of the traditional, standard Hermes stamp.
How can one get a horseshoe bag without a placing Special Order?
In rare cases, the client that places the SO may reject it once it arrives. Sometimes Hermes changes the original order placed. The SO could arrive at an inconvenient time for the customer to purchase or the client may simply not like the way it turned out.
It is then the discretion of the director to offer the SO to another client to purchase.