Hermes raises crocodiles in Australia for the raw material for the manufacture of accessories that customers are fond, said Monday the manager of the French luxury brand.
Some years may elapse between ordering and receiving a Hermes handbag of finely carved in high quality skins, which can cost up to 35,000 euros.
“Sometimes it takes three or four crocodiles to one of our Hermes handbags while we raise our own crocodiles in our own farms, mostly in Australia,” said Patrick Thomas in a summit organized by Reuters luxury.
Hermes, who has 286 stores worldwide, manufactures 3000 crocodile Hermes handbags per year.
“For some skins, the waiting list is seven years,” said Patrick Thomas, adding with a smile: “The world is full of crocodiles, except to the Exchange”.
Raising crocodiles expensive: animals, whose mortality rate is high before maturity, should also be separated from each other to avoid bites harmful to their health and quality of their skin.
The leather is 40% turnover of Hermes, a group that is resistant to the crisis.
The group has committed this year between 50 and 100 workers in the leather which will add to some 2,000 artisans employed in its factories in France.
Patrick Thomas said Hermes sought to strengthen some of its branches, as the loan-to-wear and silks, to avoid being too dependent on its leather goods sector, which he said continues to grow rapidly.
“We have a huge demand (…) but we are limited by our ability to train new artisans (…) and finding quality raw hides, particularly exotic skins,” he said.
Patrick Thomas reiterated that group sales had improved in April and May, a decline of 2.5% (at constant exchange rates) since January, instead of a decrease of 4.7% in the first quarter, and they should be stable throughout the year.
“We are affected like everyone else by the crisis. but we will never compromise on the quality of our products. There will never be a “line a Hermes,” he said in answer to the question of whether the group intended to change its range.
And the manager of the house of the Faubourg Saint-Honore to illustrate his words with one of his favorite definitions of luxury: “Luxury is when the desire is stronger than reason.”
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