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Culture War Roundup for the week of July 15, 2024

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Not true for Rolexes, but yes if you want a shot at a Birkin bag you need to build up a relationship as an Hermes customer.

Nah, you just need to find the right store (some airports, Tokyo) and have a man walk in and buy it for you (since the assumption is that they’re less willing to play the game). Even if you do neither of those things, you can negotiate a purchase as a new customer in a single day, it’s just about how you talk to the SA. The mythos around this suits the brand, but the idea that you have to spend $100k on scarves and horse saddles before they let you buy a black Birkin is just that.

Similar for certain Rolexes. Desirable colorways are often available on a limited application basis.