HERMÈS Birkin Bags

HISTORY OF THE BIRKIN BAG

The Birkin Bag is perhaps the most coveted product in HERMES’ history, but its success came about 167 years after HERMES was founded and 19 years after it was introduced to the market (in 1984). Hermes has been in business since 1835 and the Birkin bag became a fashion and status icon in 2002. ( Click here for the full history of Hermes  ).

The Birkin Bag was named after an English-French singer and actress famous during the 60s to 90s named Jane Birkin.

Several stories circulate as to how this happened but the name of the bag originates from a chance encounter between her and the then CEO and director of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas (the great grandson of Hermes’ founder Thierry Hermes Jr.). This happened in 1983 according to Hermes’ website, (although some places cite this as happening in 1981), Jane Birkin was supposedly a coach passenger on a flight from  Paris to London, she was promoted to first class and while she was trying to place her whicker bag inside the overhead compartment the contents of her bag flew all over the place and one of the passengers in first class helped her gather the contents to put them back in the bag, that person was Jean –Louis Dumas, after the incident they got to talk during the flight about how she could never find a bag that fit her needs and that is why she was forced to carry with her that whicker bag. She explained how she thought there should be a bag with compartments, very large in size and capacity and the design should be elegant but at the same time versatile so it could be used during the day as well as for the evening.

With her ideas it is said Jean-Louis Dumas took notes and even drew a sketch of what he thought would be a bag like she envisioned. The sketch was supposedly done in a barf bag from the airplane.

With the idea in mind Dumas went back to the workshop in Paris and worked on some versions, eventually he came up with what met all the criteria and gave a sample to Jane Birkin, it was a 40cm version of the bag, Jane Birkin’s ideal bag.

The bag was introduced to the market in 1984 but it was not an instant success. It took many years for it to be popular although Hermes was well known for the high quality leather goods and as a high luxury brand.

By the 90s the bag was selling more but not at significant numbers, the claim to fame for the bag came in 2002 when it was featured in the TV show Sex and The City by the character Samantha Jones (played by Kim Cattral) saying the now famous phrase “It’s not a Bag, it’s a BIRKIN!”. In the conversation in that episode the character explains the high price of the bag ($4,000 at the time) and a five year waiting list, the other character in the dialog asks puzzled (referring to the price and waiting list) for a bag?, and the answer is it’s not a bag, it’s a Birkin, implying the bag is not a simple handbag but it is something far more special with almost a legendry status. That TV show turned that bag into the “it” bag for the rich fashionistas and for the past over 20 years ultra rich women have the Birkin Bag in their list of must have items, constantly filling the waiting list of Hermes boutiques worldwide.

The fact that there is regularly a waiting list of 5 to 6 years to get one and that the list includes some of the most famous and richest people in the world also helps make the bag the icon it is.

Although the bag is very hard to get directly from Hermes fortunately there is a very big market of pre-owned and even unworn bags.

We list offers from some of the top sellers in the world, all authenticated for your piece of mind.

SIZES AND MATERIALS

Through the years the bags have been offered in 4 different sizes: the Birkin 25, the Birkin 30, the Birkin 35 and the Birkin 40. There is also a limited edition Birkin 20 (Birkin Faubourg) and 2 larger Birkins that are not so common, the 42 (which is not a tall bag but a horizontal bag with long handles) and a Birkin 50.The name  comes from the width of the base of the bag measured in cm (25cm, 30cm, 35cm and 40cm).

The most common materials used for Birkin bags are these leathers: Togo, Epsom, Clemence, Swift and Box Calf 

HOW TO DISTINGUISH REPTILE LEATHERS

Hermes uses a symbol system, look for the symbol next to the HERMES PARIS stamp above the clasp.

HOW TO DISTINGUISH SPECIAL EDITIONS

Hermes uses a symbol system, look for the symbol next to the HERMES PARIS stamp above the clasp.