Birkin bag

[3] The bag quickly became a symbol of wealth and exclusivity due to its high price and assumed long waiting lists.

[9] Costs can vary widely according to the type of leather, if exotic skins are used, and if precious metals and jewels are part of the bag.

A bag made of exotic skin and diamond was sold at auction by Christie's in Hong Kong for a record price of US$380,000 (HK$2.94 million) in May 2017.

[7][10] Birkins are distributed to Hermès boutiques on unpredictable schedules and in limited quantities, which creates artificial scarcity and exclusivity.

They have flooded the upscale resale market and are frequently resold in second-hand boutiques and through social media.

[5] In 1983, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London.

Birkin had just placed her straw basket in the overhead compartment of her seat when the contents fell out onto the floor, leaving her scrambling to recover them.

[15] In 2015, Birkin wrote a public letter to Hermès requesting her name be removed from the bag,[15] stating she wanted the company to "debaptise the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place", referring to the cruel methods used to acquire the skins for the crocodile variant of the bags.

[21] Prices for the Birkin bag depend on type of skin, the colour, and hardware fixtures.

[25] Each bag is hand-sewn by a single artisan, and is then buffed, painted, and polished, taking up to 18 hours to make.

[34] In April 2010, Hermès announced that the waiting list would no longer exist, implying that these bags are potentially available to the general public.

[35] The Philippine Star reported in March 2013, that a high-end, 30-cm Shiny Rouge H Porosus Crocodile Birkin with 18-carat gold fittings and encrusted with diamonds was sold for US$203,150 at an auction in Dallas, Texas, US.

[36] In May 2017, a 30-centimetre (12") matte white Himalaya niloticus crocodile Birkin with 18-carat white gold and hardware bearing 245 diamonds was sold at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong for HK$2.94 million (US$377,261), creating a new record for the most expensive handbag in the world.

[38] The alleged need to purchase other items from Hermès and supporting commission structure for sales associates is the basis of a 2024 California anti-trust lawsuit.

[41][42][43] Fashion influencers nicknamed the bags “Wirkin“ on social media[44][45] after they went viral in TikTok unboxing videos.