Behind the Birkin Bag

Birkin bags are the crème de la crème of handbags – the end all be all.

Created by Hermès and named after singer and actress Jane Birkin, the Birkin bag ranges in price anywhere from $7,400 to $150,000. With prices like these, it makes sense why these bags are typically seen being sported by celebs and very wealthy individuals.

When it comes to the craftsmanship and material used to make a Birkin bag, the quality of the process is of the utmost importance. When you’re paying that much for a bag, you expect big things. Each bag is handcrafted by highly skilled expert artisans in France and can take up to 48 hours to complete.

Being plated in gold or other highly valued metals, the hardware on these bags will never tarnish, hard to believe right? When it comes to the type of leather used to make these bags, it ranges from calf leather, lizard, ostrich and crocodile. Wondering what kind of hide is used on the $150,000 bag? Most likely it’s saltwater crocodile, which is the most expensive type of skin Hermès uses.

With a waiting list of nearly four years, getting your hands on a Birkin isn’t the easiest of tasks. Even if you have the funds to pay for one of these esteemed handbags, Hermès doesn’t sell their bags to just anyone.

Online auctions and consignment shops are your best options when it comes to purchasing one of these bags, and even then you won’t find newer styles being sold. Consignment shops and online auctions are known for reselling older styles of these handbags.

If you’re ever walking down 5^th Avenue or Rodeo Drive and see someone carrying a Birkin bag, look carefully because chances are, it’s probably a celebrity.

Photo credit: Gilt.com