Accessory with a story worthy of a separate movie, which catches the attention of the whole world. The unique and luxurious Birkin bag from the French brand Hermes with one of its appearance makes the hearts beat faster. An indicator of status, high affluence, sophisticated taste and love for things of exceptional quality is what the Birkin handbags collection is.
History of creation
Hermes Fashion House was founded in France in 1837 and was originally known as a workshop for the production of equipment for riding. The company's founder, Thierry Erme, for a long time studied the subtleties of working with leather in his native Germany, and when he moved to France, he perfected his skills to the highest level. Gradually the assortment of the workshop expanded, and soon the house of Hermes began to produce ready-made clothes, accessories and perfumes. Since the 1950s, the brand has its own logo - an image of a horse with a cart.
The story of the appearance in the assortment of the iconic Hermes Bbirkin handbag is accompanied by curious events.
In 1984, during one of the flights, the CEO of the fashion house Jean-Louis Dumas happened to be a neighbor of the popular French actress Jane Birkin. He noticed how the girl unsuccessfully tries to fold numerous folders with papers and other women's trifles into a small Hermes clutch.
In a dialogue with the actress Dumas found out that the girl was upset by the lack of internal departments and would be happy to have a model that would fit all her things, and also look elegant and refined. That was how the idea of Birkin bag by Jane Birkin was born, especially for which the iconic model was created and whose name it was given.
Distinctive features
For the manufacture of original products are selected varieties of calf leather. Also popular models of python, ostrich, crocodile. Processing in a special way leaves the skin soft to the touch, while protecting it from damage and scratches. The recipe of the composition, which is impregnated with the skin for its unique softness, is kept in strict secrecy, like all the nuances of the skin finish.
Standard bag sizes - 35, 40, 45 cm, it is possible to order a model of non-standard sizes - 50 and 55 cm in width. The aspect ratio of the original bag is one to two. Volume and wide products immediately distinguish their owner from the crowd and rivet attention.
The model has a concise design, the designers use a soft color range, except for a platinum or gold lock, there are no additional decorations, only occasionally there are instances with spikes or stones by special order. On the lining is the company's brand stamp, extruded stamp with the brand name and place of creation.
Each instance is produced by a team of 20 people who create the masterpiece manually. Employees for such responsible work are recruited from among graduates of the French school, which trains specialists in leather finishing. After that, each applicant has a long internship in the company, before starting the main work.
Where to buy the original and how to distinguish it from a fake?
Each copy in the collection is sewn manually and undergoes strict quality control, therefore, it is enough to distinguish the original from the copy, even a very good one, simply knowing the characteristics of sewing.
Signs of the original model:
- Branded bag is lightweight, the standard model width of 35 cm weighs slightly more than 1 kg.
- Birkin stitches match Hermes' corporate identity - they are slightly angled relative to each other. The seams must be tight and well-treated.
- The bottom of the original model does not touch the surface on which it stands - it is equipped with miniature legs that do not allow the product to settle and fall to the side, and also protect it from contamination.
- The set comes with a lock and keys, which are engraved with a thin inscription Hermes. The lock can be opened only with a key from the kit, which ensures the safety of the contents. All accessories are volumetric, made of cast metal. Fake locks and keys are often hollow inside and do not perform any functions except decorating.
- Replica handles are usually quite flimsy, a fake will not bear much weight, which is normal for the original. Hermes masters attach rather thick handles to their products in a special way, observing a clear symmetry.
- The first bags made inside were covered with a beige velor case, and then a thick flannel. Modern models are trimmed with a fine beige fabric with a herringbone pattern.
- In the form, no bulges, folds are allowed, no creases appear on the original skin. Genuine Birkin flat on both sides.
- A stamp with the inscription "Hermes Paris Made in France" is embossed on the inside, has even contours and volume. It is very difficult to repeat the original stamp; in fake products, it is likely to be blurry, not large enough or, on the contrary, too small.
- Each bag is assigned a unique number by which you can find out who was responsible for its tailoring. Sellers of counterfeit products cannot provide such information.
Sellers who promise to deliver an order in a couple of days or weeks are likely to bring a fake. Branded product is very difficult to buy, even if you can immediately pay for the order. In anticipation of their copy will have to spend more than a year, so many who wish to queue for the legendary accessory. Residents of Russia sometimes have to wait even longer.
Usually the order procedure looks like this: twice a year, in the summer and winter season, the opening of the record is announced in the official London boutique.. You can sign up for a waiting list within two days, and during the checkout process, all the necessary parameters are negotiated with a company representative - size, color, material, and other details. The company usually does not take a deposit, only if the customer needs a complex design or expensive rare material. The lucky ones on the list just have to wait. Orders are sent to Paris, where the masters work.
The waiting time can sometimes be up to 6 years, depending on the number of requests. But most often, after a couple of years, you can get the coveted call from the boutique and go for your purchase. If the buyer is not satisfied with the quality of the product or there are other claims - he has the right to refuse to purchase. Instances that customers have decided not to buy are sometimes available in Hermes boutiques for several days.
How much is?
In the top 10 most expensive bags of the planet Birkin takes not the last place and ranks with such brands as Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton.
The price of a copy starts from 7 thousand euros. The beautiful story of creation, high quality and the guarantee of uniqueness from the brand justify the immodest cost.
Also, the price depends on the material - in the production of leather used rare animals, reptiles, python. The cost of the most expensive models starts from 20 thousand dollars. One of the most original and expensive materials is the leather of the Decompassing crocodile, the cost of which depends on the size of the crests of the reptile.
Buying a bag for such a large amount you can be sure that it will not lose its uniqueness, visual appeal and durability.
Spectacular images
Accessory from Hermes can be called universal. Birkin looks great with office suit as well as with a light casual dress for a walk.It will not only complement the image and emphasize elegance, but also allow you to take with you all the most necessary things, which will find a place in wide departments.
Having selected a model in the color on the basis of which an individual wardrobe is selected, you can not worry about creating stylish images. In addition to the basic colors, in the collection you can find copies of orange, turquoise, red shades.
Star fans of the legendary collection from Hermes create the most harmonious images, looking at which the desire to take possession of the treasured accessory is only growing.
Victoria Beckham is a well-known fashionista and a recognized icon of style, she owns her own Birkin bag collection, in which there are 40 pieces of different colors and materials. Victoria can be met with a favorite accessory at a grand reception, where she harmoniously combines the basic colors of the bag with dresses of classic style and universal colors, or for a walk with her sons when she combines bright bags with everyday jeans and sweaters.
Sisters Kim and Courtney Kardashian consider Birkin to be an indispensable part of an image in everyday life, combining bulky bags with overalls and high-heeled shoes of a corresponding color.
Popular actress Blake Lovely appeared in a short black dress at one of the receptions, holding a bright red crocodile skin in her hands.
Collectible Bags
Hermes' Birkin product line has become a key event for the art of collecting. Before the advent of this series, accessories did not enjoy success at auctions, they were not considered as a profitable investment, which could be a good investment. After high-quality leather products confirmed their durability and uniqueness, a separate category appeared in the circles of collectors - “luxury accessories”.
That is why Birkin bag, which is so difficult to buy, the subject of fashionable ladies and one of the most cherished lots at auction. The secret of accessories is that the value on them only grows with time, acquiring the original model, the client gets the opportunity to sell it once. At one of the auctions in Beverly Hills, 68 Birkin models were presented, one of which was bought for 70,000 dollars that evening.
Despite the undeniably high price, the queue for a personal copy is not getting smaller, and thousands of women and men all over the world are waiting patiently in the list of orders. Mark Hermes has long proved that for a truly high-quality thing that will last for more than a decade, it’s not a pity for any money. That is why Birkin bag does not go out of fashion and interest in it does not fade.
