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Yes, I finally received my new (and first ever) Hermès bag! I am so besotted with her, so going to share very briefly my store experience and first impressions.
I had been eyeing the Picotin for quite some time. It is such a cute but beautiful piece, and the perfect start to my Hermès collection. Originally I was a little worried about the nature of the bag being top handle, but I realised that I had actually quite a habit of carrying my bags in my hands as my shoulders sometimes get sore with cross body bags.
For specs, I was actually wanting either Noir, or any other 'wearable' colour, as long as the hardware was gold and size 18. I was really open to colour as I felt like it is a small bag and can be really cute if the colour popped. I let my SA know that I was interested in one and she kindly placed me on the waitlist. I was thinking that I had to probably wait 3 months or so, but no. One week later, yes one week later, she let me know that they had received a special one in multicolour and asked if I would be interested! She had said that the bag was black and dark blue with a different colour under the handles, gold hardware.
I literally was buzzing with excitement when I saw this, the bag sounded so amazing and I knew how rare a Casaque is. For those who don't know much about the Casaque, here's the story from the Hermès website:
One bag, two colors: 4 emblematic lines of leather goods, Kelly, Birkin, Picotin and Mosaique, are reinterpreted in two different shades. The Casaque design is inspired by the equestrian world and the colorful jackets worn by jockeys during horse races. On each of the 7 models, the contrasting pieces of leather are joined together with no apparent stitching, thanks to the turned edge seam technique. Depending on your mood or the occasion, there are two versions to choose from: one brighter and the other softer, both perfect styles for everyday life.
So my husband and I went into the store and my SA brought out the box from the back. I saw the handles before anything, they were a vibrant, stunning blue that was just the right pop of colour, after which the gorgeous black and dark, midnight blue body of the bag was revealed.
Here she is, my Picotin 18 in Noir/Bleu Nuit/Bleu Frida, Gold hardware, Clemence leather.
I must say the bag has a good amount of weight, and the leather is so soft and thick. To be honest, one thing that concerned me a little when the SA opened the box was that she looked really small. I could see my husband was eyeing the size too and I could see from his expression that he thought the same.
When I tried her on, she was just perfect. I was worried that for my 174cm height that she would be too small, but nope, she was just the perfect size. The two colours blended together so seamlessly with the dark blue being really deep and subtle, a true little surprise if someone came close to the bag. The pop of the bright blue just adds so much character, making it a truly unique piece. I think in all about 2 minutes I was certain that I had to take her home.
I tried my luck and had asked my SA if there were any Rodeos in store, knowing that they're really hard to come by. On the way to the store, I was telling my husband that given the description of the bag, it might be good to get a deep pink / magenta rodeo. My SA brought one out from the back and it was the Rose Mexico!! I actually gasped out loud (lol). It was really meant to be.
So I happily took both the bag and rodeo home, and have literally been staring at her since.
I've taken her out a couple of times, so here are a few first impressions:
- She actually fits a lot, more than the essentials. However I wouldn't recommend putting too much in as this could damage the shape of the bag. She is a little slouchy when heavy. - The colour is so neutral and versatile, very wearable with just about any outfit. - I absolutely adore how the handles sit on my arm, so comfortable to hold as the straps are so thick. - The leather is divine. When I held the bag, it didn't feel like a flimsy bag, it had a decent weight to it and I could see that it was a high quality bag with incredibly talented workmanship behind it. - The feet on the bag are very convenient. Not that I would ever put her on the floor, it's just good to know that she can be somewhat placed anywhere without hugely worrying. - The hardware is stunning, so shiny and a really vibrant gold. Love!
I must say that I think I got really lucky with both of these items, as I never would have expected a bag to arrive in store so quickly. I do know that Picotins are more 'available' than the more elusive bags, but even then I was certain I wanted one that would be special to me and one that I would get a lot of wear out of. I really appreciate that my wonderful SA thought about me for this bag and I got to take her home as my first ever H bag.
Once I get a bit more wear out of this bag, I will do a review on pros and cons, wear and tear, how it fits into my lifestyle etc.
Do let me know if there is anything specific you'd like to know about this bag! I am more than happy to share :)
xx
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