If you’ve been following my small business journey over the past couple of years, you might remember a video where I DIY-ed a life-size thermometer with an Hermes Mini Kelly perched at the top.

The Story

Three years ago, Mr. FashioNica and I made a bet: if I somehow reached 100,000 followers by my birthday, he’d buy me my dream bag—the Hermes Mini Kelly. At the time, FashioNica had about 60,000 followers, so hitting that target in just one month seemed nearly impossible. I decided to share my plea with the bag-loving community online, and the next day, I opened my account to find we had somehow skyrocketed to 102,000 followers overnight! I was beyond grateful to my bag girlies—you left both me and Mr. FashioNica absolutely speechless.

The Boutique

When my birthday finally arrived, we made our way to our local Hermes boutique. I’d heard tales of needing to make a purchase to even be considered for a bag offer, so that day, I bought my first pair of Hermes Orans. Meanwhile, Mr. FashioNica discreetly pulled the helpful Hermes Sales Associate (SA for short) aside and asked if we could see an Hermes Mini Kelly. The SA looked at him with a mix of confusion and amusement before saying with a coy smile, “That bag has a 5-year waitlist.”

Research

I was certainly disappointed that I wasn’t bringing home my dream bag. I had thought winning the bet with Mr. FashioNica would be the hardest part, but it turned out that actually acquiring the bag was the real challenge. From that day on, I dove deep into research, watching countless TikTok videos and YouTube unboxings to understand what “The Hermes Journey” truly entails and why it feels nearly impossible to be offered a bag.

The Surprise

Eight months after my birthday, Mr. FashioNica and I were on our way to Hawaii to celebrate our anniversary. As we unpacked, I noticed a small, magical orange box tucked away in his suitcase. Confused but excited, I asked him what it was. He carefully placed the box on the table, and my mind began racing, “Is it a bag?… Is it THE bag?” As I slowly opened it, my jaw dropped—I was inches away from an Hermes Kelly Pochette.

Seconds after Mr. FashioNica revealing the Hermes Kelly Pochette:  

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The Verdict

Three years have passed, and this remains my absolute favorite bag in my collection. Beyond its sentimental value, it has become my trusty companion, accompanying me on travels, date nights, two weddings, and countless brunches. It’s the perfect small-sized bag, with enough space to comfortably fit my phone and daily essentials. This bag has earned my unwavering stamp of approval, and I always look forward to the days when I get to take her out for an adventure.