Actress Birkin asks Hermes to remove her name from croc bag
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An employee holds an Hermes diamond and Himalayan Nilo Crocodile Birkin handbag at Heritage Auctions offices in Beverly Hills, California September 22, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] |
Hermes said it imposed on its suppliers the highest ethical standards regarding the treatment of crocodiles and for more than a decade, had conducted monthly checks on them to ensure that they were respected.
"Hermes respects and shares her (Jane Birkin's) emotions and was also shocked by the images recently broadcast," it said in a statement.
"Her comments do not in any way influence the friendship and confidence that we have shared for so many years."
Birkin agreed to lend her name to the bag after sharing a flight with the charismatic late head of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas, in the 1980s.
The crocodile Birkin and the Kelly bag, named after actress Grace Kelly, are among the most sought-after luxury goods - even though the starting retail price is more than 20,000 euros ($22,096) - partly because shops routinely run out of them.
Customers can obtain one either by putting their name on a waiting list or by paying hefty fees to specialised buyers who scout for the bags on their behalf.
A fuchsia Hermes crocodile Birkin bag with a diamond-studded clasp and lock set a record as the most expensive handbag ever sold at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong last month, fetching $222,000.
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