--FILE--A pedestrian walks past the Maison Hermes in Shanghai, China, 16 September 2014. Thriving demand in China boosted first-quarter sales at Birkin bag maker Hermes, underscoring an upbeat start to the year for some of the luxury sector's biggest names. From fashion labels to jewelers, many players in the industry have reported better-than-expected sales at the start of the year, with strong demand from Asian and US shoppers. Hermes, known for its ,000-plus hand-stitched Birkin and Kelly bags, said revenue rose 11 percent on a constant currency-basis from a year earlier, more than analysts had forecast.  (Imaginechina via AP Images)