This is the genuine Hermès Birkin bag: English actress/singer Jane Birkin is often seen with her namesake purse. (Francois Durand, Getty Images file)

Reefer recall: Hermès luxury bags returned because of skunky smell

Madison Avenue, we have a problem. According to the New York Post, the highly coveted status symbols are getting returned to Hermès boutiques around the globe for having “skunk stinky syndrome.”

A source told Page Six:

“Owners are returning the Hermès bags back to boutiques across the US, including the Madison Avenue store, saying they smell of skunk. The bags are being sent back to Paris as nobody knows quite how to deal with this embarrassing situation.”


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The French luxury goods company claims that a “badly tanned” batch of leather is to blame and when exposed to warm temperatures (i.e. a hot car), makes the material “smell like marijuana.” Produced in limited quantities using the finest of leathers, the odoriferous satchels came as quite the shocker to loyal fashionistas, who tolerate a waiting list to drop up to six figures for the pretentious purses. Props to them for even recognizing the sweet stench at all!

Reefer recall: Hermès luxury bags returned because of skunky smell
English actress Jane Birkin poses with Serge Gainsbourg in Munich while they promote the film ‘Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus,’ in which Birkin stars and Gainsbourg directed, in 1976. (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The affected bags range from $5,000 to $20,000 and include the iconic Birkin, named after style legend and British actress and singer Jane Birkin. We’re going to let Hermès in on a little secret: This whole skunk scandal probably has her smiling. Birkin’s name is often seen among lists of famous female stoners, and she starred alongside Serge Gainsbourg in the 1970 film “French Intrigue” (originally titled “Cannabis”).

Also lovers off-screen, “One time while in Nepal, Jane and Serge got so stoned ‘they never dared nor desired to repeat the experience.’

Hermès has yet to release an official statement. The biggest question: What are they going to do with all of those returned bags? I know a few ladies who would welcome the smell …


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