The Birkin bag is an exclusive, handmade purse created by the coveted brand, Hermes. It serves as a status symbol of wealth due to its high price points and elusiveness to the public. The prices range from $9,000 to $150,000, depending upon their materials and the rarity. The bag is released in limited quantities, which in turn creates an unintended exclusivity.
The Birkin bag came into existence after Hermes chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. She placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment, where the content tumbled to the floor. She then explained to Dumas how difficult it was for her to find a leather weekend bag she liked. The iconic brand was created in 1984, based off of a 1892 design.
The bag has greatly evolved since its first thought on the flight between Paris and London. The Birkin bag is now one of the most recognizable bags in the fashion industry — and in public. It is a highly coveted bag and for a while it had a waiting list of up to six years — the longest wait for any bag in history.
Text: Quinn McBee
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