Hermes’ surprise section stands true to its name and always surprises shoppers with exclusive products that sport hard-to-believe price tags. We have already written about the Hermes Steinkraus mini saddle statue from the same category. This time it’s a bag with a stupendous value that has jerked away our mid-week blues!
However Hermes and high-price have stood its test in time as the French brand is renowned for designing goods that are suitable for purchase by the well-heeled. The Hermes Double Sens Croco Chiffon Tote is available for sale online in two sizes sporting two different pricing too. The Double Sens Croco Chiffon PM is the smaller edition and flaunts a comparatively lesser price of $26,900. The USP of this bag is that it is reversible so the user can fold it inside out to suit her needs and match her clothes. The alleged outer side is made of lawn green chiffon Mississippiensis alligator leather. This reverses to a neat tundra green-gray Sikkim calfskin side. Embossed with “Hermes Paris”, the not-so-petit tote measures 14″ x 11″ x 10.5″. The handle further adds 8.6″ in height. The same tote is also available in alternative color combination of green-gray chiffon Mississippiensis alligator leather overturning to green-gray Sikkim calfskin.
The larger version, Double Sens Croco Chiffon GM, also exhibits a larger tag of $38,000. Clad in green-gray Chiffon Porosus crocodile leather which reverses to green-gray Sikkim calfskin, it is sized at 17.5″ x 13.5″ x 5″. This meant-for-big-divas bag is also available in lawn green chiffon Mississippiensis alligator leather which overturns to tundra Sikkim calfskin, like its petite sibling.
Hermes delves deeper to elucidate their choice of the material and their expertise on bringing the best of it for this dual-sided tote – The extraordinary combination of crocodile and calfskin renders incredible softness to this magnificent reversible version of the Double Sens. Chiffon crocodile owes its name to the light, floaty and airy chiffon that was initially reserved for clothing. This material could be associated with a ‘coarse’ feel, but in fact it is unexpectedly soft with an enormously sensual feel. The technical challenge lies in creating softness without breakage (the scales are barely perceptible). The material is as thin as possible which retains the hardwearing nature of the crocodile skin whilst making it soft and velvety. The specific tanning technique means that the skin is fed gradually and abundantly, creating a surface that is first waxed then felted for an unbeatably soft, talc-like feel. The colors are delicately worked to accentuate the soft blend of these two materials.
