Hermès CEO Says Seeing New Birkins on Resale Market Places Him in Unhealthy Temper

The sight of recent Birkins on resale websites places Hermès’ CEO in a foul temper.

Axel Dumas, the billionaire chief govt of one in every of France’s most dear firms, talked about how new purses on secondary markets have spoiled Hermès’ relationship with its clients.

“Typically we’ve got false clients come to our shops to purchase them, to resell them, and so they stop us from serving our actual clients, and that may be a actual trigger for concern for us,” Dumas mentioned, talking to traders in a Wednesday second-quarter earnings name.

“So, I am in no way completely satisfied to see this growth of recent luggage which might be offered within the secondhand market,” he mentioned. “I pull a face, and I am not completely satisfied, and it would not make me really feel in a great temper.”

The recognition of the bag has resulted in legions of dupes and counterfeits. Walmart’s $78 model of the Birkin went viral on TikTok earlier this yr.

Koyaana Redstar, a classic luxurious purse authenticator, informed BI final yr that purchasing a bag to resell it was not value it as a result of it was a chance.

“I feel lots of people will stroll into Hermès or Chanel, then come to us to promote it. Once we give them costs under retail, they’re upset — they wish to make what they paid for the bag,” Redstar mentioned.

Nevertheless, she added that there have been exceptions. It’s doable to revenue from some traditional luggage from manufacturers like Hermès and Goyard by shopping for them at retail worth and promoting them on the secondhand market, she mentioned.

The Birkin bag is presumably Hermès’ most iconic product. Named after British actor-singer Jane Birkin, the bag was first launched in 1984. It retails for greater than $10,000 within the US.

Hermès continued its sturdy gross sales streak within the newest quarter, reporting a quarterly income of 8 billion euros, or $9.13 billion. This was an 8% enhance in income in comparison with the identical interval the yr earlier than.

It is among the few luxurious giants that has not been affected by the luxurious stoop. Its largest French competitor, LVMH, has seen its gross sales plummet over the previous few quarters. Within the first half of 2025, LVMH reported a 4% drop in income and a 22% drop in web income.

Hermès’s inventory worth was down 4.5% in after-hours buying and selling on Wednesday. It’s down about 2% because the begin of the yr.

Representatives for Hermès didn’t reply to a request for remark from Enterprise Insider.