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Hermès breeds own "handbag crocodiles"
Such is the demand for Hermès highly exclusive handbags that the French luxury goods company has taken to breeding its own crocodiles to create the exotic-skin treasures.
Some customers have to wait several years before they can get their hands on one of the highly coveted and beloved leather bags which usually come with a price tag over 35,000 Euros.
Hermès CEO Patrick Thomas told Reuters Global Luxury Summit the company faces a major challenge every year producing 3,000 leather bags from outside crocodile farms.“It can take three to four crocodiles to make one of our bags so we are now breeding our own crocodiles on our own farms,” he said.
Mostly bred on farms in Australia, the thick-skinned animals have to be kept in separate areas to protect their valuable skins from potential bites and scratches.
Leather goods account for approximately 40 percent of Hermès’s business and while the company also produces fashion and textiles, leather continues to be its fastest expanding product line.
"It can take three to four crocodiles to make one of our bags so we are now breeding our own crocodiles on our own farms."