Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Everything You Need to Know About the Hermès Birkin

Everything You Need to Know About the Hermès Birkin

The iconic handbag, which spurred years-long waitlists and is considered a better investment than gold, remains one of the fashion world's most coveted accessories.

The Hermès Birkin is one of the most coveted handbags among fashion enthusiasts, but what exactly makes the simple leather top handle a must-have accessory?

Created by French luxury brand Hermès in the 1980s, Birkin bags are considered a symbol of wealth and exclusivity due to their extremely limited production. In some cases, the Birkin is considered even more valuable than gold.

Here is everything you need to know about the iconic handbag.

Who created the Birkin?


Jean-Louis Dumas, the executive chairman of Hermès from 1978 to 2006, created the bag for British actress and style icon Jane Birkin. His original goal was to create a bag with enough storage space while retaining a timeless design.

In 1984, Birkin sat next to Dumas on a plane from Paris to London. She complained that she still hadn't found anything that suited her lifestyle as a young mother; there was no simple bag to fit all of her daily necessities. Dumas immediately outlined a spacious and supple rectangular bag with polished saddle lid and stitching. The bag even came equipped with a space for baby bottles.

                

Jane Birkin photographed by Guégan for L'OFFICIEL Spring 1974

Why is a Birkin so expensive?


Entry-level Birkin bags with simple hardware are priced at around $9,000, according to Grazia Magazine.

The Birkin is made by skilled Hermès artisans, taking a craftsman 18 to 25 hours to complete a bag from cutting and smoothing leather, hand stitching the bag together, and attaching and polishing the hardware.

In addition to the top-quality materials and impeccable craftsmanship, the value of a Birkin lies in their limited quantity. This scarcity causes the price of the bag to increase as more and more people crave this precious bag, often turning to the resale market to get one.

What is the most expensive Birkin ever sold?




The Hermès Birkin White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Skin Diamond is the most expensive Birkin ever sold, going for over $379,000 at Christie's in Hong Kong in 2016. The bag was handcrafted from Niloticus alligator leather with more than 240 diamonds on 18 karat gold hardware.

Special Birkins


In addition to the usual Birkin bags currently on the market, as well as bags made with extremely rare and expensive materials, Hermès also releases special versions of the iconic handbag.



Why is the Birkin more precious than gold?


The Birkin is considered a good investment, meaning the luxury item has increasing demand and corresponding prices due to its scarcity, not to mention its reputation as a status symbol.

With that said, owning a Birkin can be considered a smarter investment than gold as its value only increases over time. According to The Fashion Law, "unlike the S&P 500 and gold, the value of Birkin handbags has never decreased and has steadily and consistently increased."

How can you buy a Birkin?


Unless you're a celebrity - and often even then - you'll be hard pressed to get a Birkin just by walking into an Hermès boutique. The Hermès Birkin is a tough designer item to hunt, especially since the brand doesn't reveal how many of them they will make in a year. Also, not all stores have the opportunity to display Birkin bags, and the waiting list seems to be endless.

It seems that in addition to having plenty of money, you will also need a fortune to get the chance to buy the bag in the store. And if you get lucky, the staff selling you your dream Birkin bag is a whole different story.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×