Pray for rebirth as a handbag
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Kongkwan "Kate" Fujitniran, a dermatologist who owns nine clinics, is often referred as a "hi-so doctor", but people also like to call her "the Hermes doctor". That's right - she's crazy about the posh French handbags, and Preaw magazine has the pictures
You love Kelly and Birkin bags, too, but this is different: Dr Kate maintains an apartment just for her Hermes bags! That’s where they live. She lives in a house in Chon Buri, her home province, and another one in Bangkok where her multitude of pet dogs poses a threat to luxury goods.
So her spoiled Hermes bags get a place of their own – a penthouse, no less, the equivalent of the 50th floor of a skyscraper and thus pollution-free. And they don’t just sit there in stacks. Kate spent Bt3 million on the décor – fancy shelving, UV-protective film on the windows and several layers of curtains as well, plus air-conditioning that keeps humidity low.
The lounging place of pride belongs to a Bt3-million Himalayan Birkin that was once used by Victoria Beckham. How much is the whole lot worth? Kate dares not think about it, but insists they’re not just handbags – they’re an investment. “A Kelly bag worth Bt1,000 15 years ago sold recently for Bt2 million!”
She hasn’t consigned any to Sotheby’s or eBay yet, though. “I don’t believe keeping cash is good in today’s economy. Many people invest in gold, diamonds, wristwatches and land, but my passion is Hermes bags and I think it’s better to stick with what you know best.”
She usually orders them in advance from the US. “I rarely get a chance to reserve one from a Thai shop. Maybe I’m not hi-so enough!” she jokes.
Kate’s mum had one when she was a kid but Kate was distracted by dolls and didn’t get her first Hermes – a used one – until she was almost finished university. “And the happiness I feel is the same as playing with my dolls when I was little.”
