It’s not a bag, it’s a Birkin -The History of the Birkin
Image Credit: Pinterest.
With all the online chatter about the Walmart Birkin, I had to uncover the history of the Birkin bag – the coveted hand-stitched Hermès creation retailing for as low as $10,000 and as high as $2 million.
For those who haven’t seen, the internet has been ablaze after Walmart’s Birkin bag dupe (affectionately known as the Wirkin) for $80.00 went viral on Tik Tok, creating endless debates on if this will devalue fashion’s most sought-after bag.
But how did the Birkin become the bag? A name synonymous with exorbitant wealth, status and extremely difficult to buy.
And what was the inspiration for the Birkin?
Let’s discuss.
The Birkin Bag Origins – where do Birkins come from?
The origins of the Birkin began on a flight from Paris to London in 1983, when then it-girl Jane Birkin sat down beside Jean Louis Dumas, the artistic director and CEO of Hermès.
Image Credit: ‘70s it girl, singer, actress and inspo behind the Birkin Bag, Jane Birkin, Getty Images.
When placing her signature straw bag in the overhead compartment, Jane’s belongings spilled everywhere, with Jean Louis Dumas remarking she needed something better.
Jane explained that she hadn’t been able to find a leather weekender bag she liked that was suitable for young mothers on the go. That totes need reliable pockets.
The pair then sat and sketched out an ideal bag on the back of an airline bag.
Inspired, Hermès created the Birkin and presented it to Jane a year later in 1984.
If we think about this in modern settings, imagine Zendaya didn’t know Jonathan Anderson and sat next to him on a plane.
She has a tote that’s become her signature style, but it proves unreliable for her belongings.
Together they unknowingly create fashion’s most prized possession for years to come, sketching a design on the back of a napkin.
Iconic.
Why are Birkin Bags so expensive?
It is reported that a Birkin takes 18 to 20 hours to make – each handcrafted by a single artisan, who trains for five years before they can make their first Birkin. The bags begin at around $10,000, but usually cost much more than that.
High-quality materials, craftsmanship and the fashion house limiting production each year help to drive the expensive price tag. Not to mention, the Birkin isn’t something a consumer can just walk into a store and buy – there’s multi-year waits.
Birkin expert Julia Rose told InStyle,
“Hermés does not display their bags out for customers to view, and if you are offered a quota bag (typically a Birkin or Kelly) you are taken to a room in the back to view it. It’s also very helpful to have a relationship with a sales associate and an extensive buying history if you’re looking to purchase a Birkin.”
Plus, the more exotic the materials, the higher you can expect to pay. Luxury Evermore reports that the cheapest crocodile skin Birkin begins at $40,000 USD and can go as high as $100,000 USD, depending on the type of leather and finishing details.
Image Credit: The Matte Alligator Birkin, which sold for $115,570 at auction in 2023, WWD.
While Hermès claims there is no special waiting list and anyone is free to purchase the bag, the fashion house is even facing legal action in California over the scarcity of their supply and approving access to purchases.
The most expensive Birkins bags ever
The Sac Bijou Birkin - $2 million
Image Credit: With over 2,000 diamonds and intended to be worn as a bracelet, WWD.
It is reported there are only 3 in the world, this was released in 2012 as part of a special collection.
The Himalaya Birkin - $450,000
Image Credit: WWD.
Crocodile skin w/ diamond encrusted hardware, this bag sold in 2022. It is known as the most expensive Birkin ever sold at auction.
The So Black Birkin – $208,000
Image Credit: WWD
Released as part of Jean Paul Gaultier’s final collection.
These are just a few samples of the many Birkins sold throughout the years.
When did Birkins become popular?
In the 1980s, Chanel dominated the bag scene, with Karl Lagerfield reimagining Coco Chanel’s iconic 2.55 Chanel bag by adding the now-signature CC.
Image Credit: Pinterest.
But by the next decade, the Birkin came into its own throughout the ‘90s, helped by a wait list leaving consumers wanting more – and solidified by Samantha Jones’ infamous line on Sex in the City in 2001, “it’s not a bag – it’s a Birkin.”
Image Credit: Sex and the City.
This catapulted the Birkin into the mainstream, with Sex and the City influencing style, underpinned by the show’s iconic costume designer Patricia Field.
The secondary re-selling market for Birkins started in 2004, a time when vintage fashion collectors were still up and coming – a small pool in comparison to today’s saturated market where even big brands are looking to cash in.
Since then, the valuation and scarcity of the bag has driven increased demand. According to a report from 2017, Birkins have increased in value by 500 per cent since 1984 – an increase of 14 per cent annually.
Knight Frank also maintains that as of 2020, investing in a Birkin is better than gold or stocks.
Are Birkin Bags over? The era of The Row Margaux Bag
Even before the Walmart Birkin Bag dupe scandal, there have been growing arguments that The Row’s Margaux (founded by the Olsen twins) has replaced fashion’s most elusive item.
The Row continues to dominate fashion circles (including opening a location in Paris!), with more and more celebrities wearing the brand.
It also probably didn’t help that Hermes put out a 60 Minute doc shortly before the Walmart dupe broke, with the current Hermes Creative Director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, explaining “you have to be patient” to get a Birkin.
Comments that immediately became a meme, including this image by the always brilliant and on-point fashion commentator @ideservecouture on Instagram.
Image Credit: @ideservecouture
And with consumers able to buy anything online and have it delivered to their doorstep almost instantly, the messaging on patience didn’t resonate well.
However, what I find most interesting about the history of the Birkin, is how Jane Birkin, the women in which the bag is named – only ever received $40,000.00 annually in royalties for the bag, which she always donated to charity.
She’d only ever owned a few Birkins in her life and would customize them with causes she supported as an activist.
Plus, their sole original purpose was an everyday bag to make life easier for mothers. Jane believed in wearing bags until they were do worn down, you had to replace them.
She sold her original Birkin gifted from Jean Dean Humas for $100,000.00 to help Japan’s earthquake relief.
Will you be getting your hands on a Wirkin? Let me know below!
Until next time,
- TSH