Hermès shopping is both an experience and a game. Not everyone enjoys that - but once you know the rules, it becomes genuinely exciting. Every bag is carefully handmade by their ateliers, and that exclusivity is exactly what makes it worth the effort.
If you are planning a trip to Paris, read our guide on How To Get A Hermès Appointment in Paris first - the two cities work very differently.
At a Glance
- Appointment
- Not required - walk in to any store
- Best time
- Weekday morning, arrive before opening
- Quota bags
- Bond Street (established clients only)
- Smaller bags
- Any store on a weekday morning
- New flagship
- Hermès 166 New Bond Street opening soon - largest in Europe
London Hermès Stores
London has six Hermès locations. They are all part of the same brand but feel different and serve different purposes depending on what you are looking for.
Bond Street
The London flagship. The largest selection in the city but also the most competitive. A strong base of high-spending local regulars means first-time visitors rarely receive quota bags here.
Best for
Established clients, widest selection
Sloane Street
Smaller and less busy than Bond Street. A better environment if you are building a relationship and do not visit London every month. The SAs have more time and the atmosphere is calmer.
Best for
Building a relationship, less competitive
Harrods
Worth visiting if you are already in Knightsbridge. Can occasionally have non-quota bags available and benefits from longer opening hours than the standalone boutiques.
Best for
Non-quota bags, longest opening hours
Do You Need an Appointment in London?
No. London works differently to Paris. You can walk into any of the six stores without a pre-booked appointment to access leather goods. That said, getting a Birkin, Kelly, or Constance is still far from straightforward.
Bags are often in stock, but it is entirely up to the bag or store manager whether they can be sold on any given day. The decision to offer a quota bag is not about availability - it is about relationship and purchase history.
Looking for a Birkin or Kelly?
These are quota bags, and London treats them differently to Paris. At Bond Street, unless you are an established client with a strong purchase history, your chances on a first visit are very low. Selfridges and Harrods are worth trying - but without a meaningful spend history, the odds are against you.
The most realistic path to a quota bag in London is building a genuine long-term relationship with an SA. More on that below.
Looking for a Smaller Bag?
If you are open to a non-quota bag - an Evelyne, Picotin, or Garden Party - London is much more accessible. Most weekday mornings there is a selection of smaller bags available, and you do not need to spend a large amount to leave with one. Your SA will likely expect you to buy something alongside it, but nothing extravagant.
The key is to arrive early. Every time I have walked past Bond Street before opening, the queue is already long. When you arrive they will book you in on an iPad and assign you to an SA. Once all SAs are occupied, the queue holds until the morning rush clears - so arriving late significantly reduces your chances. Afternoons are much harder.
Building a Relationship With an SA in London
This is the most important section if you are serious about getting a quota bag in London - and the part most guides skip over.
Bond Street is the flagship. It has a large number of very high-spending local clients who visit regularly. An SA there is not going to prioritise someone who visits once a year over a client they see every month. That is just the reality.
If you are able to visit regularly - every month or every other month - building a strong relationship with one SA is genuinely worth the investment of time.
Choose one store and one SA
Do not spread yourself across multiple stores or rotate between different people. Consistency is what builds trust. Bond Street is best if you are a London local with serious intentions. If you are visiting less frequently, Sloane Street can be a friendlier environment to build a relationship.
Buy something every visit
It does not need to be a bag. A Twilly, a candle, a pair of socks, a fragrance. Every purchase goes on your profile. Over time this builds a picture of you as a genuine Hermès client rather than someone who only comes in hoping for a quota bag.
Be a person, not a transaction
Learn your SA's name. Remember details from your last conversation. Ask about new arrivals genuinely. The SAs who offer quota bags to clients are doing so because they like and trust them - not purely because of spend.
Be patient and honest
If you want a Birkin eventually, there is nothing wrong with telling your SA that is your dream. What you should not do is ask for one on your second visit. Let the relationship develop naturally and the conversation will come when the time is right.
Top Tips for Getting a Bag in London
- Arrive early on a weekday and queue for a non-quota bag
- Choose one store and one SA - consistency builds relationships
- Buy something small on every visit to build your purchase history
- Do not ask for a quota bag at Bond Street if you are not a regular visitor
- Be patient - London rewards clients who keep coming back
FAQs
No - London works differently to Paris. You can walk into any of the six London stores without a pre-booked appointment to browse leather goods. There is no lottery or booking system. Getting a quota bag is still difficult, but the process is based on walk-in visits and relationships rather than an online draw.
For quota bags, Bond Street is the flagship with the largest selection - but it is also the most competitive. Sloane Street is a better environment for building a relationship if you do not visit London every month. For non-quota bags, any of the six stores can work on a weekday morning.
It is very unlikely. Bond Street has a large base of high-spending regular clients, and the decision to offer a quota bag rests entirely with the bag manager. Without a purchase history or established relationship, your chances are low - but not zero, particularly at Harrods or Selfridges.
As early as possible on a weekday morning. The queue builds before opening. Arriving 15-30 minutes before the store opens gives you the best chance of being assigned an SA quickly. Once all SAs are occupied, you wait.
For non-quota bags, London is more accessible - no lottery, no waiting, just show up. For quota bags, Paris is significantly better for first-time and occasional visitors because the lottery gives everyone an equal chance regardless of purchase history.
Hermès is opening a new flagship at 166 New Bond Street that will be the largest Hermès store in Europe. It combines the previous Bond Street and Selfridges locations into one building. Once open, it will be the primary destination for Hermès shopping in London.
Yes, but it takes longer. Visiting every two or three months is better than once a year. The key is consistency with the same SA at the same store. If your visits are too infrequent, it is harder to build the kind of trust that leads to a quota bag offer. Sloane Street is more forgiving for less frequent visitors than Bond Street.
You do not have to, but it helps enormously. Every purchase goes on your profile and builds your spend history. Small items - a Twilly, a candle, a pair of socks, a fragrance - all count. The goal is to show your SA that you are a genuine Hermès client, not someone who only visits hoping for a Birkin.
Have a question? Drop it in the comments and we will do our best to help.
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