Didier Ludot

"Didier Ludot, one of the leading dealers of vintage couture, who does a brisk trade in vintage Kellys that can fetch up to two-thirds of their current retail price in his Paris boutique, insists women can get away with smaller, more elegant handbags if the interiors are kitted out with pockets and compartments—all of which add to the bottom line. Then again, the Birkin was famously adapted from Hermès’s Haut à Courroies travel bag when Birkin herself complained to company head Jean-Louis Dumas that she needed something open at the top that she could slip over her shoulder. An accessory’s form must accommodate the function dictated by its wearer, but it should also literally fit the wearer. Says Ludot: “The real problem is that too many women don’t know how to pick the right bag. Either they’re small women and they carry something huge, or they’re tall and carry something too small.” To achieve the right scale, take any bag you’re considering out for a test run on the shop floor. Hermès sales associates may have to don cotton gloves to show off the merch, but you are more than welcome to trot around to ensure a comfortable fit. In the same spirit, avoid Internet shopping for a serious investment purchase unless you already know the bag model and quality of materials firsthand."