Hermes to Breed Own Crocodiles

by Bee-Shyuan Chang (Subscribe to Bee-Shyuan Chang's posts)
Posted Jun 10th 2009 at 11:35AM

Pricey purse! $129,000 Birkin bag from Hermes. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

An Hermes Birkin bag can cost you a pretty penny, but throw in exotic skins and you're talking college tuition.

To meet the demand for croc bags, 3,000 a year (Victoria Beckham alone?), instead of dealing with fickle suppliers, Hermes has made a bold business move: The company is going to breed its own crocodiles!

At the Reuters Global Luxury Summit in Paris, Hermes Joint Chief Executive Officer Patrick Thomas announced plans for an crocodile farm in Australia.

Breeding the toothy reptiles, though, is not exactly the safest or most glamorous Hermes position. The animals have to be housed individually so they don't bite each other (or the handler). Talk about fierce fashion!

Victoria Beckhams Birkin Bags

Victoria Beckham shops with her son and, of course, a gorgeous blue Birkin, large enough to hold plenty of toys and snacks. Hey, if she's going to drop that kind of cash on a handbag, it should at least be useful, right?

X17online

Victoria Beckham arrives at Heathrow Airport wearing a polka dot Mac coat and basic black bag. You know, if an Hermes handbag can be considered basic.

Bauer-Griffin

England football players' wives and girlfriends depart to Cologne for England's match against Sweden on June 20, 2006. Is she wearing shorts? A skirt? Who cares? She's got it covered with her fabulous bag.

Chris Uncle, FilmMagic

Victoria Beckham and youngest son Cruz leave their hotel in Paris. Posh's chic, layered look should fit right in with the city's style.

Bauer-Griffin

Victoria Beckham at the Farmer's Market on June 15, 2008. Because, you know, who doesn't take a ridiculously pricey designer bag to buy fresh cut flowers and veggies?

X17online

Victoria Beckham arrives to Heathrow airport dressed to impress. As always.

Bauer-Griffin

Victoria Beckham shops at Fred Segal in Santa Monice and then heads to the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, where she meets Katie Holmes and daughter Suri for dinner at the Bungalow. Just another day in the life of Posh, and, of course, another Birkin.

Bauer-Griffin

Victoria Beckham uses her bag to brighten up an otherwise neutral ensemble at the airport.

Bauer-Griffin

Victoria Beckham, rocking a black tipped french manicure, arrives at Los Angeles International Airport to fly back to England with Melanie Brown (Mel B) to work on a new Spice Girls single and a television commercial. No surprise here -- the bag is a perfect match for the dress, but we can probably guess which cost more.

Bauer-Griffin

Posh sports a bright, 1960's-style dress while toting a hot pink ostrich Hermes Birkin purse. Victoria is trailed by several assistants who carry her luggage, block photographers, and escort her through security. Ever wonder what Mrs. Beckham carries in that expensive luggage of hers? Now we know: More expensive handbags.

Bauer-Griffin

Read All Comments

Filed under: News
Tags: Birkin, Birkin-Bag, croc-bag, crocodile, handbags, Hermes, Purse, victoria-beckham

Style Around the Web

ImaxTree

Make Up Tips For Girls With Glasses - Refinery29
How Celebs Work Red Into Their Wardrobe - FabSugar
Celebrity Wardrobe Malfunctions - The Daily Beast
Deodorants that Actually Work - Daily Candy
Would You Wear Long-Sleeve Shirts As Skirts? - The Frisky
Tricks That Guarantee Gorgeous Hair - Daily Makeover
Celebs Have Us Seeing Stars - People Style Watch

READER COMMENTS

(110)Add A Comment

Cate, 6-13-2009, 8:05PM

PETA will be all over this X)

Reply »

nikole, 6-13-2009, 9:19PM

ha. peta. bunch of idiots they are. preaching animal rights and all that and then they are in a court battle for their animal killing... taking dogs/cats out of shelters under fasle pretenses. telling the shelter they will find a home and then bam animal is euthanized! i wish i had all the links to this info so i could post them here. google peta n look at the sites that are not for peta and see all the info on them. and before u go off on me im not against animal rights. just dont support peta. support the local shelters and the spca and things like that....

regina gerger, 6-13-2009, 11:44PM

How horrible! It never ceases to amaze me the cruelty inflicted on animals by MAN! These creatures were here on Earth millions of years ago, long before MAN. That is how we show respect for a reptile who has managed to survive everything but MAN'S Greed. I think Patrick Thomas's idea should be kept locked up & destroyed, not this noble creature!!!!!!

Jon, 6-14-2009, 1:26AM

Peta kills over 70% of the animals that end up in their shelters. Hey, maybe we can get all that cat and dog fur and make handbags out of it. We certainly will save a lot of crocodiles!!

Hey You, 6-13-2009, 8:06PM

How sad that they are going to breed/kill crocs for these ugly, over-rated & over expensive bags.

Reply »

chuck, 6-14-2009, 11:51PM

If they are "ugly, over-rated & over expensive bags" , than they will go out of business and close the farm otherswise they will turn a profit and keep on going. It's called capatalism. Get over it.

JP, 6-15-2009, 8:31AM

That's man for you, fashion before compassion.

Jennifer, 6-13-2009, 8:10PM

One more example of disgusting human beings!! This needs to be outlawed!!!

Reply »

arfur, 6-13-2009, 8:34PM

good for them can breed humans for human skin bags to like Hitler...

Reply »

nikole, 6-13-2009, 9:45PM

what is this hitler thing i keep seeing? im obviously missing something..

Macaroni, 6-13-2009, 8:25PM

I say we kidnap the CEO of Hermes, flay him alive and make lampshades out of his skin. Breeding crocs to simply produce high-profit, gaudy, totally unnecessary toys for the affluent is no less reprehensible than that Nazi practice of the 1940's.

Reply »

RB, 6-17-2009, 1:17AM

I thought they were killing people not crocodiles.Maybe i was mistaken.Sorry

Slaws, 6-13-2009, 8:28PM

Oh Yea! Hopefully - PETA, SHARK, HS and every other animal rights activist will be all over this - Hermes Sucks!
PLEASE DO NOT BUY THEIR PRODUCTS!!

Reply »

Diane T., 6-14-2009, 12:38PM

To slaws: I 100% agree with you. People should not buy their products. This should not be allowed. It is inhumanne.

Chris, 6-13-2009, 8:27PM

This is yet another set up for extreme animal cruelty. Who in the hell thinks this crap up? Because some filthy rich skanks want a purse made out of a dead animal, these magnificent creatures will be bred (probably not fed) and killed just for their skin....in Australia yet....where the late Steve Irwin did his utmost to make people aware of their beauty (as well as their ferocity). I hope this business fails and fails miserably.

Reply »

nikole, 6-13-2009, 9:45PM

I agree with your comment. this is SICK!! only they wont not feed them cuz then they wont grow. theyll prolyl ove feed them and keep them in tiny living space so they cant swim around or get any kind of exersize so they get really fat!!bigger animal equals bigger skin.. this is disgusting!!!!

J, 6-15-2009, 4:07AM

That's not even logical. It will probably be well fed so it will fatten up to make more hide.....those little hides won't go as far, doncha' know?

Jenny, 6-13-2009, 8:45PM

Geez, I don't even know what to say... disgusting business plan for a disgusting bag. Truly sad

Reply »

Amber, 6-13-2009, 8:53PM

That's horrible, you can get a (much) cheaper bag made of synthetic non animal material that looks so much better that those monstrosities of bags. Its cruel and disgusting. They are probably going to just skin them and throw away the rest of the gator (Native Americans would use EVERY part). It sickens me to see overpriced UNNECESSARY items that are just for fashion, essentials are more important than having the nicest stuff.

Reply »

Jon, 6-13-2009, 8:42PM

You people are just ignorant and have totally lost touch with reality. You bitch and complain about farming crocs while chowing down on cows, pigs and chickens. Those crocs will be kept in much better conditions than our food and leather industry's standards, that's for sure. Unless you're a vegetarian and wear only hemp, just shut up and stuff your face with some more chicken fingers!!!!

Reply »

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 20 Comments