Just have to share this story. A couple of us were visiting the mothership on Madison Avenue (open during renovation), and we overheard a young, well-dressed man with very little knowledge about the House of Hermes, trying to surprise his equally young girlfriend with a special gift. We should have minded our own business, but we couldn’t resist!  He wanted to know which bag was the most iconic, and the sales woman wasn’t telling the whole truth. She was trying to sell what was available versus what was not. After a quick conference we intervened.  After 30 minutes of Birkin vs. Kelly 101, we recommended the practical Evelyn III in a neutral color. Hermes just knows how to handle leather. It turned out that his girlfriend is a designer who loves timeless, chic, and functional luxury. Sounds like our kinda gal.