Behind the Birkin

It's not often that a handbag possesses the capability of demanding as much attention as the Birkin bag by renowned luxury fashion house, Hermès.

I would not usually rank designer bags particularly high on my list of interests however when you have year long waiting periods and an accessory which appreciates in value at a rate comparable to property investments you can consider my curiosity peaked.

The story of one of the most coveted luxury items begins in 1983 on a flight from Paris to London. Hermès chief executive, Jean-Louis Dumas, was seated next to Hollywood star Jane Birkin when she found herself picking up belongings off the floor after they had fallen out of her straw basket bag. Birkin complained to Dumas about how she has yet to find a leather weekend bag she liked and as a result the two spent the rest of their time together sketching and designing the perfect solution.

A year later Dumas presented Jane Birkin with what would soon become the world's most desirable handbag. Spacious enough to carry all of one's necessities while maintaining a sleek and sophisticated outward appearance. This could be considered the dream for any individual but how far would you go to get one?

The truth is that they were not widely popular upon release with heading over to your nearest boutique and making a purchase being a relatively simple task. Initially only an elite group of enthusiasts with a keen eye for quality acknowledged the bag's value and expert craftsmanship. It was not until the 90's that the bag started to gain traction among the general upper class and it soon became the ultimate must have accessory. The increasing demand due to extremely limited production numbers meant that the sensation was not going to die down anytime soon and this was not another seasonal fashion trend.

Fast forward a few years and the Birkin is no longer as easily attainable. Bags find their way to Hermès stores on an irregular basis with the timing of these deliveries being simply unpredictable. In the event that they do have any on hand, the probability of them being sold to just anyone who walks into the store is slim to none. Paris stores require customers to book leather appointments in order to view handbags and as if obtaining an appointment is not difficult enough, staff adhere to strict policies which state that Birkin bags may only be offered to Hermès clients who have built up a good buying reputation with the store. In other words, unless you have a track record of spending the equivalent of an average person's life savings on belts and shoes, the odds are not in your favour.

In order to fully understand why people are bending over backwards trying to appear worthy in the eyes of Hermès, we need to explore what makes these bags so special.

Birkin's are constructed with the finest materials by exceptionally talented artisans who require years of experience before being awarded the opportunity to prove themselves and granted the privilege of creating a bag. The artisan spends a minimum of 48 hours crafting each bag implementing unique skills such as the saddle stitch and "pearling" which ensures the bag does not fall apart and the hardware will stay in place forever. The bag then undergoes rigorous inspections before receiving the official stamp indicating the year, name of the artisan and workshop in which it was created.

Hermès prides themselves on the usage of exceptional leathers treated with the utmost care ultimately contributing to the item's value. More exotic iterations are accompanied by a hefty price tag due to the precision required when working with the skin, complicated dyeing processes and general scarcity. It could take workshops many months to acquire particular skins making production numbers extremely limited An average entry level Birkin would cost you around $10,000 while an exotic bag fetches prices in excess of $100,000.

The coveted lineup utilizes skins obtained from numerous animals including the Porosus Crocodile, Niloticus Crocodile, Alligator Mississippiensis, Salvator Lizard, Niloticus Lizard and Ostrich. A few vintage Hermès bags were produced using leather from the Caiman Crocodile although utilization of these skins has since been halted due to a lack of quality sources and the brand's dedication to maintaining high standards. All exotic bags aside from the instantly recognizable ostrich are marked with a special foil symbol next to the brand stamp allowing a relatively simple process of distinguishing one skin from another.

There is one other symbol every Hermès collector dreams to have stamped on their handbag but only very few are lucky enough to boast. Each year, sales associates offer two loyal clients the opportunity to customize a handbag as they please. These are known as "special order" or "horseshoe" bags as they are stamped with the signature horseshoe symbol upon completion. Clients have the privilege of determining size, fabric, colour and hardware making each of these special order bags one of a kind.

Despite numerous renditions and a hand full of limited releases The Himalaya Birkin is undoubtedly the most sought after bag in the world.

Inspired by Himalayan mountains, the collection aims to emulate the grey landscape with it's snowy peaks.

Dyeing the Nilo Crocodile hide is a painstaking process taking many hours to complete resulting in only a few of these bags being made each year. In 2019, a 35 centimeter rendition incorporating 18 karat white gold hardware encrusted with over 200 diamonds broke the world record as the most expensive handbag ever sold at $500,000.

A small price to pay considering the value of Birkin bags have increased over 500% in the last 35 years. At an average increase of 14% per year, that makes Birkin bags a better investment than gold or the stock market with professionals estimating a rise in value of over 8 to 10 times today's market value over the next 50 years.

Hermès has discovered a way of elevating fashion to new heights. We are no longer thinking only about whether a clothing accessory will be an appropriate accompaniment to a Saturday night outfit but we are appreciating it's value and thinking more deeply about the longevity of our purchases.

This makes the Birkin more than just an ordinary handbag.