The Birkin Bag.

Hi hi hi everyone!! Happy July and Welcome back to Haute Take!! 🩷✨

Once again, I greatly apologize for the lack of posts this summer! When I return to school, the posts will 100% be back to regularly scheduled programming 😊 Anyway, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into today’s post!!

We have all heard of the ONE bag that everyone knows about, but so few people have. Any guesses?? Well, if you know anything about anything, I am sure you definitely answered, “THE BIRKIN BAG!” with immense excitement and enthusiasm! Just me? Okay lol. Anyhow, YES, the Birkin Bag. The most exclusive bag on the market. But how did this bag become the status symbol it is today? Keep reading to find out!!

What is the Birkin Bag?

The Birkin Bag is a tote bag that was created in 1984 by the company Hermes. The bag is an entirely coveted and iconic luxury item that has become one of the most highly sought after items in all of luxury fashion. Hermes utilizes a combination of the bag’s high price and craftsmanship to entice certain members of society (particularly the affluent members) to desire and in turn purchase their product (sorry the marketer in me slipped out there hehe). The bag is hand crafted in France, and it takes nearly 18 hours to make a single bag, which only adds to the quality and appeal of the product, and the price of the bag ranges anywhere from $12,000 to $2,000,000 depending on the size and model. While the standard sizes are Birkin 25, 30, 35, and 40, there are also distinctions based on style (Retourne vs. Sellier), materials (leather types, exotic skins), hardware (palladium, gold, etc.), and special editions. In summary, the Birkin bag is an entirely unique and desirable bag that is truly one of a kind. So now that we have a little more knowledge of what the bag actually is, let's get into how it was created!!! WOOHOO!!

Who is Jane Birkin? 

In order to fully understand the Birkin Bag, we need to understand the ICON who is Jane Birkin. Jane Birkin enjoyed a career as a singer, songwriter, actress, and director, but those were most definitely NOT her only areas of success in her life. Jane was also an incredibly iconic figure in the fashion world, specifically during the 1960s and 1970s. She was known for her effortlessly cool personal style which mostly featured bootcut denim, crisp button-downs, stylish blouses and breezy dresses as well as polka dots and pops of red. She also carried around her iconic and beloved wicker basket, before the creation of her “Birkin Bag”. It was in fact an unfortunate mishap with her wicker basket that led to the creation of the Birkin Bag in the first place! So, let’s get into the origin story!! 

The Creation of the Birkin Bag 

Jane Birkin and Jean Louis Dumas

Most designer bags have a pretty standard backstory; someone sketches an idea, it gets made, it hits the shelves, and that's that. But with the Birkin? Its origin is anything but ordinary. The story behind Hermès' most iconic bag started not in a design studio, but actually on a plane, with Jane Birkin, a spilled bag, and a very coincidental encounter. So, it's 1983, and Jane Birkin is on a flight from Paris to London. She just so happens to be sitting next to none other than Jean-Louis Dumas, who happens to be the CEO of Hermès. Mid-flight, her overstuffed wicker basket (which we mentioned earlier) decides it’s had enough, and bursts open, sending all her stuff flying into the aisle. Like total chaos. Jane laughs it off and casually complains that she can never find a leather bag that’s both stylish and actually fits all her things (valid). Dumas, inspired by this moment of fashion disaster, grabs an airplane sick bag (yes, really) and starts sketching. Right there, at 30,000 feet, the idea for the Birkin bag is born... aka a bag that’s functional and, thanks to its accidental origin, forever iconic. It officially launched in 1984 and quickly became the ultimate status symbol. HOW CRAZY?? I can’t believe I didn’t know this lore. 

The Success of the Birkin Bag 

As I mentioned before, the Birkin officially hit the scene in 1984, and let’s just say… the fashion world went CRAZY. With its buttery leather, clean lines, and that structured silhouette, it was everything people didn’t even know they needed in a bag. But what really set it apart was the bag’s exclusivity. Hermès didn’t just put it on shelves and sell it to anyone, they made it feel like a secret club. They had no ads (the marketer in me cries), no flashy rollouts, literally just word of mouth, A-list sightings, and years-long waitlists. Owning a Birkin became less about having a bag and more about having status. And somehow, decades later, it still is. 

Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez with Birkin Bags

So how can you get your hands on a Birkin bag? Well, unfortunately it’s not as simple as walking into Hermès with a credit card. The brand is famously incredibly secretive about how Birkin's are sold. You can’t just buy one; you earn one. It starts with things like building a relationship with a sales associate, shopping regularly, and manifesting a little luxury magic. There’s also the resale market, but be ready to drop serious money on that (unless its fake, but you do you queen). Basically, scoring a Birkin is like getting invited to an exclusive party and the bag is the guest of honor.  

SO ANYWAY, I hope you all enjoyed today’s blog post!!! I know it was super interesting for me to learn about this bag and its intriguing history, so I hope it was for you too 😊 I’ll see you next time <3 

Xoxo,

Leah 🩷