Hermès is one of the most renowned luxury brands in the world today, considered one of the most influential, whose accessories have the highest value in luxury auctions worldwide. The French atelier has become an innovative brand with an unprecedented image of exclusivity.
The Hermès phenomenon can be seen from many angles and it is increasingly evident that its iconic bags: Birkin, Kelly, and Constance, have been the reason for its rise to the fashion podium, as well as its countless accessories that continue to be talked about every day.
Some would think that discounts are indispensable elements to maintain a constant flow of customers and attract more profits, but the truth is that in the case of Hermès and many fashion houses, discounts are something to be avoided at all costs.
Below, we will show why the famous fashion house Hermès doesn’t discount and the benefit it brings to maintaining its image of exclusivity.
Tradition and innovation
Since its beginnings in 1837, Hermès has managed to maintain a tradition in the manufacturing method of its products, perpetuating the centuries-old technique developed by Thierry Hermès, the founder of the brand. The saddle stitching method is the secret ingredient for the unique creations of the French brand.
Through this artisan tradition and with the advancement of the fashion world, Hermès has adapted magnificently to each challenge imposed, making more and more products to meet the needs of its high-end customers, venturing into the world of clothing, footwear, jewelry, handbags, accessories, makeup, and even home decorations.
The innovative spirit of Hermès and the predilection for its traditional techniques have made the brand one of the largest in the world, and these characteristics have undoubtedly given it an image of exclusivity and superiority among high-luxury brands.
Luxury for royalty
It is no secret that Hermès has been part of pop culture since the beginning of the twentieth century, and this is not only due to the artistic prowess with which they make their clothes and the innovation of their designs but also the scope that the atelier acquired in such a short time.
From the days of Thierry Hermès, the brand managed to conquer the hearts of the upper classes in France; and quickly spread its fame throughout Europe and soon to the rest of the continents. By the mid-20th century, Hermès had captivated royalty with its creations, like Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco.
The young actress and princess was introduced to the Sac à dépêches bag during the filming of one of her movies, “To Catch a Thief”, and gradually fell in love with this unique trapezoid-shaped bag. After her marriage to Prince Ranier III of Monaco, the princess proudly carried the Hermès bag with which she covered the first signs of her pregnancy.
The photograph of the princess reached the covers of all the fashion magazines of the time, becoming iconic and bringing unprecedented fame to the Sac à dépêches, and with it, to Hermès. Consequently, the French atelier decided to rename its Sac à dépêches as Kelly in honor of the princess who made it famous.
Over the years, Hermès continued to mingle among the upper classes, with celebrities, socialites, and royalty, becoming an icon of good dressing, opulence, and social status.
Exclusivity and fame
Following the brand’s great beginnings and its evident boom in the following years, Hermès continued to generate unique products that soon became iconic accessories, such as the Birkin and Constance bags, as well as its silk scarves, bracelets, and watches. All these products, the quality of their materials, and their 100% handmade craftsmanship have made the atelier hold a very high position among the great luxury brands.
But what other reasons make Hermès so relevant and exclusive today?
The union of these factors has worked for the brand to use one of the best-kept resources of fashion houses, the use of exclusivity as a weapon to obtain higher profits and better positioning in the luxury market.
Exclusivity is achieved by making one or several of its products the most desired in the market and it is applied through supply and demand, but unlike creating more supply to obtain more demand, Hermès takes advantage of the success of its exclusive handbags so that there is a desire to acquire them, but limits inventories and makes the acquisition process complicated, so that only very few people can get them, thus increasing their value, and making the image of the French brand even more exclusive.
This means that Hermès not only obtains better profits and greater fame with this method but also obtains a privileged perception from consumers, which means that for its customers or people in general, Hermès is a fashion house of high luxury, quality, and exclusivity, whose products can retain their value over time, since having one of them is a great privilege. Consequently, the values of Hermès handbags increase every day at luxury auctions and in the luxury resale markets.
It is this image and elevated position that the atelier wants to maintain, as it is the basis of its success and the best strategy to remain relevant in the years to come. It is an image of exclusivity and a perception nurtured by consumers.
The true value of Hermès
When it comes to markdowns, the fashion house Hermès has always avoided reducing the price of its products, whether they are exclusive or not, but this is not only because the materials and workmanship are of high quality but also because discounts are seen as a threat to its image of exclusivity.
Every luxury product has two types of values, the real value and the perceived value; the real value refers to the actual price of the product, calculated by the materials and labor used to manufacture it, while the perceived price is the sum of the factors of the real value and the image represented by the fashion house.
This means that Hermès accessories must always maintain a constant value, representing not only what it took to manufacture them but also the stamp of exclusivity and renown that is implicit in each accessory. And this becomes more relevant if it is one of the iconic bags of the atelier.
All this leads us to the conclusion that Hermès doesn’t make discounts because it fears losing its privileged position. It doesn’t want consumers to begin to perceive it as a low-cost brand whose products are accessible to anyone and whose value is reduced to a few euros. It is for this reason that discounts are harmful to a fashion house like Hermès, which from the beginning has strived to obtain such a perception of exclusivity.
What do you think of the Hermès brand and its relationship with discounts?
Now that you know why this luxury brand does not discount, you will surely understand better what the true value of each of its accessories means and why they are so sought after in the luxury resale markets.
However, it is not impossible to get a discount on Hermès products because, in our online store, you can receive discounts from 25% to 40% on different accessories from the French atelier, with proof of authenticity and all the support of experts.
Learn where to buy Hermès with discounts.
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