The Birkin bag is a handbag by Hermès, handmade in leather
and named after actress and singer Jane Birkin. The bag is a symbol of wealth
due to its high price and elusiveness to the public.
Its prices range from £6,000 to £100,000 ($9,000 to
$150,000). Costs escalate according to the type of materials. The bags are
distributed to Hermès boutiques on unpredictable schedules and in limited
quantities, creating scarcity and, intended or unintended
Here's a bit of History about the famous extravagant handbag
In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated
next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. She had just placed her
straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the
deck, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to
Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In
1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her, based on an 1892 design.
She used the bag for herself then later changed her mind because she was
carrying too many things in it: “What’s the use of having a second one?” she
laughs. “You only need one and that busts your arm; they’re bloody heavy. I’m
going to have to have an operation for tendonitis in the shoulder.”
Nevertheless, the bag has since become an icon. Here are some celebrities spotting the trend.