That’s How Hermes Birkin Bagged It!

When a woman can wait 2-6 years for a bag, it is something worth talking about. Birkin bag is a superficial luxury item that most people don’t need but they still have it, others want it and the rest might spend their life’s saving to get it. It is a matter of pride, status, opulence and exclusivity. A brand doesn't come to this level in a day – it takes years to reach a point where people would kill for your product (metaphorically). For Hermes, it took much more than that – 6 generations to turn the tables in their favor.

The company was established in France in 1837 by Theirry Hermes. It may sound bizarre but the company produced harnesses initially and then expanded to horse’s saddles. It was much later, about 100 years down the line, that they produced their first handbag. The rest, as they say, is history.

So what do we learn about promotion and branding from Hermes? 

Picture courtesy: Ladyincharge.blogspot.in

The Story!
You don’t need much of promotion when you dedicate your bag to a mainstream actress. That’s what Hermes chief did. While he was on a flight to London, he was seated next to Jane Birkin, a popular English actress, who complained about not having a good travel bag. Next she knew, she was carrying a Hermes Birkin (named after her) which the chief presented to her 3 years later. The bag became an icon and now every girl has the secret desire to own one. 

Quality over Quantity
Birkin bags teach an invaluable lesson – focus on quality of your product. Each bag is hand sewn; no machines, no shortcuts. It takes up to 48 hours to make a bag and it is handcrafted. And then there is the fact that it is made of ostrich, crocodile, lizard and calf skin which totally justifies the cost of the product ($9000-$150,000). They arrive in Hermes boutiques in limited numbers and without a notification and automatically create exclusivity.  

Less is More
If you want to stay on the top of your game, create a scarcity and don’t let just about anyone get their hands on your product. A waiting period of up to 6 years is what made Hermes almost irresistible. People always want what they can’t have. In case of Hermes Birkin, it is the idea that “Why is it so special?” that made people curious. Then there is the fact that it is a rage in popular culture with celebrities, singers and hot shots of corporate world own these bags. It is a fashion that might never go out of fashion because of its “hard to get” approach. Oh, thrill of the chase!

Opulence is the key
People like to catch eyeballs and they do like to make a statement. With Birkin, you send the message, “I can afford it!” Hermes Birkin has created an air of elite around it – it is a status symbol, something that not everyone can meet the expense of. Once you have it in your arm, the world envies you, gives you respect and you get that nod and that smile saying “Ah, the Hermes…” On the contrary, you get frowned upon if you drop the bag or mistreat it.

Yes, everyone knows what a Hermes is. People take it very seriously.

Nothing trumps Hermes
People have tried, time and again, to create a replica of Hermes. Some have been successful and others failed. But the point is that it is worthy of an imitation. Those who can’t afford the real one buy an imitation. Nonetheless, there is just one Hermes and most people can tell the difference. Free of logos, it is still the most recognized bag in the fashion world. Carry a fake to any fashion event and the press will bury you! 

P.S.: Thanks Apeksha for all the support :)

Fashion Designing, Celebrities and More

Did you see the newspaper this morning? No, I’m not talking about Arvind Kejriwal or Robert Vadera. Drop the main paper and move to the supplement. It’s Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week! One of the best Fashion Weeks in India, Wills India Fashion Week takes the cake every time - everything about it is spectacular, grand, and exemplary. The extravaganza is always star studded – celebrities, designers, stylists, models and everyone you can think of. So you get the drift why this is such a big deal for any designer. Earning a place there, displaying your collection and having a celebrity walk the ramp for you is the best thing that can happen to you. Or not.

Now that so much is being talked about the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, let’s get into the PR angle.  Katrina Kaif or Shahrukh Khan walking on the ramp in your clothes or Ranbir Kapoor as a showstopper for your event can effectively make you a brand, a name people want to be associated with, a designer magazines want to feature on the front page probably. But what next? He walked on the ramp for you, it worked very well but you still need to make and sell clothes, isn’t’ it? 

It starts small. You work hard, design clothes, sometimes they get appreciated, sometimes they go unnoticed, sometimes they get featured in magazines and papers and other times they don’t. Your publicist will pitch stories to the media about your inspirations, your journey as a designer, what makes you and your designs special. The focus right now is making you a brand, promoting your work and getting you the publicity. When a celebrity wears your clothes to an event – awards, party, launches, screening, it is definitely grand: it gets you media, it helps promote you as a brand and people start paying more attention. However, it is not the long and short of it. You can’t chase after the celebs to get your foot in the fashion industry, quite the opposite actually. Firstly, a brand has to reach that level that a celebrity would wear your clothes and it involves hardcore public relations. The job of a designer is to concentrate on creating fashion. As your publicist will tell you, just work on your designs and rest he/she will take care of. 

Even after you score a celebrity to endorse your brand, you still need to come up with celeb-worthy designs, don’t you?

A brand has to make a mark in the world of fashion through its creativity and uniqueness. A well-known personality wearing your clothes can get you up there but your clothes need to shine with him. Imagine someone overpowering your clothes, outshining them completely and taking all the attention away. This is one of the disadvantages when a celebrity wears your clothes – his grandeur takes away from the clothes aura. 

A PR professional who gets these requests often would always suggest that there is a lot more to brand building. Undoubtedly that will position you as a celebrity fashion designer but unless the brand talks about its unique proposition, it will be just 15 minutes of fame.