Hermès is SUED over Birkin-buying ‘scheme’: Luxury fashion house is accused of ‘exploiting’ the popularity of its most iconic purse by forcing customers to purchase its OTHER high-priced products in order to earn the chance to buy a $10K handbag

Long seen as the ultimate symbol of style and wealth, Hermès’ iconic Birkin is now also the subject of a lawsuit filed by two customers who are suing the fashion house over claims that it forces customers to jump through very expensive hoops To earn money. Have a chance to win one of the bags.

Two Californians are suing Hermès in a class action lawsuit, claiming they had to buy other luxury items from the retailer to get their hands on a Birkin.

Birkins start around $10,000 but have sold for more than $500,000, and are a favorite of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian.

Now the Parisian design house is in hot water over claims shoppers have to spend thousands to purchase the elusive A-list-approved accessory.

According to The fashion law, Hermès is being accused of antitrust and unfair trade practices after taking advantage of the designer bags’ “unique desirability, incredible demand and low supply.”

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by the plaintiffs, Tina Cavalleri and Mark Glinoga, in Northern California.

Tina and Mark have accused Hermès of using the hard-to-find bags to boost sales of other products – claiming shoppers are often told to build a close relationship with their sales associate and work their way up to eventually get the handbag by purchasing other brand items first.

On social media, influencers often talk about maintaining the relationship with the said sales associate.

In 2022, social media star Audrey Peters opened up about the “absurd” steps she says shoppers have to take to get the chance to buy a sought-after Birkin or Kelly bag, claiming shoppers have to do everything from “visit” ‘ their chosen sales associate to purchase several other items from the brand.

Only then, she claimed, will a customer have the opportunity to purchase one of Hermès’ most popular and hard-to-find products, such as one of its most iconic handbags.

Now Tina and Mark have pushed back against these practices, accusing the design house of having “a plan to exploit the market power” of the Birkin, by “requiring consumers to purchase other, complementary products from (it) before they get a reward’. opportunity to purchase.”

The plaintiffs accused Hermès sales associates of having the ability to “offer only Birkin handbags” to people with proper purchase history of other products, including shoes, belts, scarves and more.

Tina said in the complaint that she ended up spending thousands of dollars, and when she asked to buy another Birkin in September 2022, the sales associate said those bags would go to “customers who have consistently supported our business.”

When Tina failed to get her hands on a second elusive Birkin, she thought she would have to spend more money to cement her status with the brand.

Mark claims he tried to buy a Birkin “but was repeatedly told he had to purchase other items and accessories,” according to the lawsuit.

Ultimately, Mark says he bought the luxury bag, which is often made of calf leather, but is also offered at a higher price in exotic optionsincluding crocodile, alligator, ostrich and lizard.

The plaintiffs alleged that sales associates do not receive commissions on Birkin bags, which was confirmed in Reddit threads by regular customers looking for a Birkin.

One Reddit user in the Hermès Game thread wrote, ‘Hermes SAs don’t get commission on bags. The company believes the bags sell themselves, so no commission is given for bags. They probably haven’t given a commission on bags in ten years.’

The same user joked that Hermès should develop a Monopoly game based on the brand’s spending.

Another said they were able to get both a Birkin and a Kelly after dropping $20,000 on a watch.

Sales associates receive three percent of the smaller items shoppers get before they get access to the bag, which is one of the reasons people think they need a certain splurge.

The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief, an injunction requiring a person, or in this case a brand, to cease a specific action.

However, there’s nothing stopping luxury lovers from purchasing Birkin bags on the resale market, and they’re available on sites like The Real Real.

Of course, celebrities and socialites can obtain the purchases.

Jennifer Lopez is the proud owner of one of the rarest and most expensive Hermès Birkin bags in the world: the Himalayan crocodile Birkin.

The coveted hand-painted bag is made from albino Nile crocodile skin and sells on the resale market for $100,000 to $500,000.

Kim Kardashian is another Birkin mega-fan whose collection ranges from $50,000 to $500,000.