History of The Birkin Bag
In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to actress and singer, 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 ground, 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. Nevertheless, the bag has since become an icon.
via:Wikipedia
The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans. The company's signature saddle stitching, developed in the 1800s, is another distinctive feature.
Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost ($9,000 to $150,000) of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity.
Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost ($9,000 to $150,000) of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity.
If I had one wish....( other than world peace, good health and wealth for all, etc...), on a more...might we say shallower level...I would wish for a brown Birkin Bag. OK...there I said it and I'm not going to feel guilty.
I'd never even heard of a Birken bag until recently, when I read about the fact that Victoria Beckam owns dozens of them. I've never been much of a purse person, but I do kinda wish I could afford a real Prada instead of the fake I picked up in the backroom of a Chinatown store. :)
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