Roggwiller Tannery of Louisiana is one of only 10 exotic tanneries in the world. They process on average 10,000 alligator skins a month and some 120,000 to 150,000 a year. RTL achieved a new high on July 13 when it was purchased by Hermes, the French company that defines elegance and tradition in leather. Costs for Hermes bags can go well over $10,000 and the wait is usually about a year. The Kelly bag, renamed in 1956 for actress Grace Kelly, and the Birkin bag, created in 1984 for actress Jane Birkin, are two signature products of the Hermes line. The wait list for a Birkin, which takes 18 to 25 hours to make at a rate of just five per week, can be five years. Some will wait the whole 5 years just to get the Birkin Bag.