“It is funny that this is happening at a place that is so pernickety about perfection,” she said, referring to the luxury brand. As the minutes turned into more than an hour, Garg tried to keep herself entertained. She joked about counting the paper towels in the bathroom and even made origami with them while staff continued their efforts to get the door open.
“No Apology, No Explanation, Not A Word Of Comfort Was Offered”
The situation soon became more serious when finally the fire department was called. Even they struggled to open the door, with one was heard saying that they could not simply break it open. After minutes of efforts, Garg was eventually freed. Keeping up with her usual humour, she said, “Thank God there was no fire.”
Following the incident, Garg criticised the store, claiming that neither she nor her family received an apology or explanation. “We are all freaked out because I was locked shut in the bathroom of the Hermès store in Berlin for over an hour and no one cared!” she wrote in the caption. “No apology, no explanation, not a word of comfort was offered. Not even to my kids or team who were watching in horror on the other side.”
“I was locked in behind a door that was a cheap, flimsy piece of plywood in violation of the fire code,” she continued. “As time went on, we got concerned that they were making no headway and demanded the managers call the Fire Department. The store was adamant that the door needed to be protected! It became clear that we were in a hostile territory.”
“Useless Bag, Useless Door, Useless People”
“After an hour and 20 minutes, I make it out. No one says a word, apologizes, or makes eye contact with me. On the way out, an associate pushes a cheap bottle of champagne into my hands. A peace offering? We declined and they closed the door behind us and locked it shut. I’m a lawyer, I understand it. Their legal team probably advised them not to say a word,” she added.
Garg ended her post, saying, “Also, how ironic that the company that makes a bag that is impossible to open and close now has a bathroom door that is impossible to open and close. Shakespearean tragedy but also so authentic. Useless bag, useless door, useless people.”
“She Deserves An Apology”
The incident has since garnered significant attention, with several users criticising the alleged response of the staff of the Hermès store.
“Wow!! And then he closed the door on your face when you were still talking! @Hermès you should train your people way better! She deserves an apology!” said a user.
Another mentioned, “All the money Hermès overcharged customers and they can’t get better bathroom doors?”
“NEVER GO TO Hermès BERLIN, NOTED!!!!!!!!!!” someone else quipped.
“@Hermès how embarrassing for your business to have your employees act this way with no empathy!” an individual commented.