The Birkin Bible

The Birkin: the holy grail of bags. A symbol of class and sophistication, the Hermès Birkin bag is a status symbol due to the beauty and exclusivity that it holds.

History of the Birkin

In 1981, Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas sat next to actress Jane Birkin on a plane. Birkin’s bag fell over and everything fell out, so Dumas decided to design her a new one on the back of the airplane sick bag. And the Birkin was born.

The Style

Each Birkin is handcrafted by one artisan, taking 48 hours to make one bag. Hermès bags have an overwhelming number of colors, all so slightly different. The bag comes in five sizes, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 50 cm, with 30 and 35 being the most popular, and the 25 becoming more popular in recent years as a result of the mini bag trend. The bag can be customized with different colors, hardwares, sizes, and types of leather.

The Hunt

There is a certain mystery that amounts from even wanting to purchase this luxurious accessory, as it is very difficult to attain. If shoppers want to buy one in-store, they need to create a relationship with a sales associate first. In order to know that the customer is serious about purchasing a Birkin, they need to begin buying items from Hermès, preferably sticking to one store. Seems crazy, right?

The exclusivity and selectivity involved in getting your hands on a Birkin contribute to the bag’s desirability amongst handbag-lovers. It seems ridiculous in the sense that one should be open to flexibility in purchasing such a big ticket item, as they might not be offered the bag they are looking for or any bag at all even after being on a waitlist. 

Resale

Due to the frustrating nature of in-store purchases, resale is HUGE for the Birkin bag, as some people find it unbearable having to wait so long to find one or can’t justify the hassle that comes with buying one from a boutique directly. Buying second-hand allows for shoppers to find the EXACT bag they are looking for.

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