Hermès: Why the Birkin? 

By: Ryan Pollock

In the world of luxury, few names elicit as much fascination, desire, and even

obsession as Hermès and its iconic Birkin bag. The allure of Hermès transcends

fashion; it represents a symbol of status, sophistication, and timeless elegance. The

Hermès Birkin, in particular, has become a cultural phenomenon, capturing the attention

of fashion enthusiasts, collectors, and celebrities alike. But what is it about these

meticulously crafted handbags that have captivated such a large audience and why

does everyone seem to want one?

Hermès was established in 1837 by Thierry Hermès. The house started as a

saddle and equestrian brand and eventually started making bags in 1922 after obtaining

the European patent for a new technology, the modern zipper. One of the the first bags

that Hermès made incorporated the zipper which would eventually become the Boldie.

This venture into handbags eventually became a pillar of the fashion house with just

two bags responsible for 25%-30% of their total sales in recent years. Hermès has

developed many staple items for their brand such as their iconic silk scarves released in

1937, the Kelly bag in 1935, and the Birkin bag in 1984.

The Birkin bag’s origin story is quite well-known amongst Hermès fanatics. The

story goes that British actress and singer Jane Birkin was seated next to the executive

of Hermès at the time, Jean-Louis Dumas, on an airplane, and her bag’s contents spilled

all over the floor. Noticing this, Dumas decided to conceptualize a bag with this woman

on a napkin or a sick bag (the story varies), and from that the Birkin bag was born. The

bag’s popularity was steady until it exploded in 2001 when it got major traction after

being featured on a “Sex and The City” episode. From then on the Birkin bag was the

“it” bag.

Part of the reason that the Birkin and Hermès’ other bags are so coveted is

because of the sheer exclusivity. In the U.S. you have to be offered or invited to

purchase a Birkin or a Kelly. These bags are known as Hermès’ quota bags. Another bag

that falls under this category is called the Constance. The other caveat is that so few

bags are available that customers rarely can get exactly what they ask for. There are so

few of these bags being produced every year that to get an offer to purchase one is a

challenging feat to achieve. While there are special orders reserved for the top clients

where one gets to customize their own bag and then wait a year or two for it to be

made, most that want these quota bags just have to keep up a good relationship with

their sales associate and wait for the bag that they want to come in.

Birkins and Kellys can retail for anywhere from $8,000 on the lowest end to

$80,000 for the extremely rare bags. Due to such demand for these bags, the second-

hand or resale market for Hermès bags is extremely lucrative. On average a standard

cow or goat leather Birkin could retail for $11,000 factoring in recent price increases.

But that same bag in the same brand-new condition would be sold for anywhere

between $20,000 and $30,000 depending on the color, size, and hardware. The

extremely limited bags such as the Cargo Birkin or exotic skins like crocodile, ostrich, or

lizard can resell for upward of $70,000. The most expensive Birkin titled the Himalayan

Birkin is made out of crocodile skin dyed to resemble the snowy peaks of the Himalayan

mountains and has hardware set with diamonds. 

This bag retails for $65,000 but resells for around $450,000 on the lower end. So what makes these bags so desirable? Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Kris Jenner, and Heart Evangelista are just a few of the affluent who own Himalayan Birkins. The demand doesn’t only come from the lack of supply, but also the constant media display of these bags. The media is so saturated with either people talking about wanting Birkins, posting their Birkins on social media, or talking about people who have Birkins. It has become something so common to see when scrolling through Instagram that the fact that so many of the people who are posting these bags are carrying fake ones is not surprising. The fake market is so expansive and accessible that some people have a harder time justifying spending money on real bags rather than fake ones. An account on Instagram called “The Fake Birkin Slayer” is an account dedicated to calling these fakes out. The anonymous account posts on their story with a picture of the fake bag and the same text every time “Where did you get this bag?” They have called out many influencers who pose with the bag in glamorous pictures and most if not all of them claim the bag to be real. These fake bags not only lower the brand’s reputation but they also steal their designs without giving credit or compensation to the creators. Very few luxury houses in the world can compete with Hermès, so what sets them apart from the others? To learn more I spoke with the manager of my local Hermès store; Cuffs. 

Well, it’s not entirely a Hermès store. In fact, Cuffs is the “only (Hermès)

wholesale account in the states and we’re [Cuffs is] the only multi-brand Hermès

account in the world.” says Zachary Kowall, the manager of the store. He wears a black,fine-tailored suit with a contrasting pair of Jordans on his feet. Cuffs also carries some of the other highest-quality brands in the world, including Kiton, Loro Piana, and John Lobb. Zachary’s ties to Cuffs and Hermès date back to his childhood as his parents Patty and Rodger Kowall established the store in 1981. Zachary Kowall recalls the days when he would accompany his father on the Hermès buying trips to supply the store. “I grew up helping out during the holidays from wrapping to just odds and ends. I traveled with my dad. My mom doesn’t fly so just (for him) to have a companion, I grew up going on those buying trips.” A part of Hermès that many are the most captivated by is the handbags, but for Kowall, this is not the case. He sees many people who become fascinated with the brand through what he describes as a superficial lens. “We see this with a lot of the Kent State Fashion School students who are so drawn to Hermès from a very social media-driven superficial aspect…and I think with time you realize that underneath there is way more of craftsmanship, preserving know-how, teaching know-how, focus that is more at their DNA than other fashion brands.” Cuffs having the smallest operating budget for Hermès in the world naturally, receives very few bags annually. In the heritage leathers which is what Hermès labels their more exclusive and traditional leathers, Cuffs only received three of the heritage leather bags and two crocodile bags annually in recent years. Since Cuffs has such little stock, it is difficult to be chosen to purchase a bag because of their standing relationships with older customers. “A lot of people will come to me late in the game with the hopes of getting a Birkin or a Kelly, but it’s a very transactional thing. It’s like ‘What do I need to buy to get this?’” says Kowall. He mentions how sometimes he will try to navigate these relationships and turn them into “healthy Hermès relationships”. Kowall says that a healthy Hermès relationship comes with an overall appreciation for the brand and the different categories of items like jewelry, ready-to-wear, and home goods. “If there are customers that want a bag and have a really broad appreciation for the brand it happens pretty organically. If they are looking for a certain bag they just have to tell me when and we’ll try to flag it down or place an order specifically for them,” says Kowall. So, the big question is, what justifies this chase for a bag?

Cuffs Clothing Chagrin Falls, Ohio

The answer is this; Hermès makes some of the highest-quality bags in the

world. They are the only brand that has managed to maintain its high level of

craftsmanship or as they like to say “savoir-faire” or know-how. The making of a

Hermès Birkin or Kelly can take up to forty hours. Through this process, each bag is only

made by one artisan who has been through at least five years of training. The artisans

also go through at least five years of training to be allowed to make a Birkin or a Kelly.

The stitch used on Hermès bags is called a saddle stitch and can only be sewn by hand.

It entails two needles and threads simultaneously weaving in and out of the leather.

This method makes it so that if one stitch were to be broken the rest would not unravel.

To take apart a Hermès bag, one must cut each stitch. To add to all of this complexity,

Hermès only uses the finest pieces of leather and a bag must be crafted from one

cowhide. Since they are so selective with the leather quality, a lot of it gets discarded,

so Hermès came up with a solution. Petit H uses all of the lower-quality leather to make

one-of-a-kind pieces like charms, toys, and jewelry. Hermès exclusively makes their

bags in France. Originally, all of the leather pieces were crafted in the Faubourg which is

the original Hermès store and is currently the global flagship. Now, with over 7,000

artisans, the brand had to expand operations to workshops around France.

Hermès artisan demonstrating the saddle stitch

Hermès is also one of the last family-owned luxury brands. Most of the large

luxury fashion houses are now owned by conglomerates. The largest, LVMH, owns

seventy-five luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Christian Dior, Fendi,

and Givenchy to name a few. The fact that Hermès has stayed true to its core values of

craftsmanship and family for so long is now a rarity in the luxury space. Chanel, for

example, is selling their most popular bag, the medium Classic Flap for $10,400. Chanel

does not hand-make the majority of their bags, including this one. Chanel has also

received wide criticism for the continued increase of prices and lowering of quality. One

thing that may appear as a flaw of Hermès to some is the lack of supply, but this comes

naturally with high demand and Hermès’ dedication to their heritage. They refuse to

create these bags in large factories or use assembly lines, so people will just have to

wait if they are hoping for a bag.

        Someone who has waited it out and built a relationship with the brand is loyal customer, Jamie Chua. She possesses the largest collection of Hermès bags in the world with over 200 quota bags, many of which are Birkins. She is a Singaporean socialite who is very intrigued and invested in fashion. Chua has developed a large following on social media such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. She has built her Hermès collection over the past twenty years. Chua has also taken advantage of the second-hand market by using Christie's auction house to purchase some of her bags. Chua shares her Hermès collection on her YouTube channel and describes her closet and some of her favorite Hermès bags. If you want to hear what she has to say and see the largest Hermes bag collection in the world watch the video!

The presence of Hermès and its iconic Birkin bag transcends mere fashion,

embodying a symbol of status, sophistication, and elegance. From its humble

beginnings as an equestrian brand to its evolution into a powerhouse of luxury, Hermès

has captivated the hearts and minds of fashion enthusiasts worldwide. The scarcity of

Birkins and other quota bags coupled with their impeccable craftsmanship and

attention to detail only adds to their desirability. Hermès' commitment to preserving

artisanal know-how and family ownership distinguishes it from other luxury

conglomerates, reinforcing its reputation as a mecca of quality and tradition in an

increasingly commercialized industry.

Ultimately, whether one chooses to pursue a Birkin or to observe from a

distance, the draw, and whimsicality of Hermès endures as a testimony to the appeal of

luxury, craftsmanship, and the timeless allure of the Hermès legacy.