Claudia Schiffer said no to having an Hermes bag named after her

In a letter to her 17-year-old self, supermodel Claudia Schiffer reveals that her agent advised her against having an Hermès bag named after her.

If I was giving advice to my 17-year-old self, it would probably be along the lines of: 'you might want to reconsider that perm, you're going to want to destroy every photo of you in about five years from now'.

But apparently, most supermodels are far less superficial than me, and a lot more spiritual.

Polled for the spring/summer 2013 issue of Elle Collections, the genetic elite had the following cheesy McNuggets of wisdom to impart to their teenage selves:

Naomi Campbell: "Always trust your instincts" 

Amber Valletta: "Relax and truly enjoy the adventure ahead of you" 

Helena Christensen: "Feel with your heart and think with your brain. Be curious, adventurous, kind, and don't ever let anyone bring you down. Don't forget that sad moments are as important as the joyous ones" 

Niki Taylor: "Be still… and truly know what it means"

Then luckily, just as it's all getting a bit too emotional, German supermodel, Claudia Schiffer steps in with some life advice which we should all heed ladies:

Claudia Schiffer: "In five years time Hermès will ask if they can name a bag after you, as they have Kelly and Birkin. Ignore your agent and say 'Yes'"

Hermès Employees SCANDAL!

French police have dismantled an international crime ring which produced copies of the luxury fashion house's bags, with several Hermès staff in on the act.

A dozen people were arrested by French police last Thursday as part of the dismantling of an international crime ring which produced fake Hermès bags. Two Hermès employees have been dismissed as a result of the probe, according to WWD , but the luxury goods company believes that current members of staff could also be involved.

Starting prices for two of the brand's most iconic bags, the Kelly and the Birkin, start in the several thousand of pounds bracket and are often subject to lengthy waiting lists. Beyoncé Knowles, Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham are prominent collectors of said styles.

Police discovered a workshop filled with precious leather skins and estimated that one branch operated by the ring contained sales worth around €18 million (103,479,840 AED).

"This operation concludes a one-year investigation following an Hermès complaint based on clues and abnormal behaviour identified through the house's internal monitoring systems," Hermès said in a statement.

The bust follows a ruling in April in which the Hermès was awarded approximately £63 million after winning their case against 34 counterfeit websites.

Hermès chief executive officer Patrick Thomas recently estimated that eighty per cent of objects sold on the internet under the Hermès name are fakes, a statistic he branded "an absolute disgrace".