The Unicorn of Couture: Hermés Birkin Bag
Mysteries are everywhere – apparently even in fashion. One of fashion’s strangest stories and most exciting mysteries is that of the Hermés Birkin handbag. This custom made-purse is literally a unicorn in the fashion world. It is a beautifully designed, often incredibly expensive piece that only appears once in a while. Not just everyone gets to see the Birkin bag, let alone buy one of them.
Much of the appeal of the bag comes from its unique background. The story of the Hermés Birkin bag is very personal to the company as a whole, and probably no other company boasts such an unusual experience behind a design. The bag is named after a purse that the French fashion company’s own chief executive made for actress Jane Birkin while she was in France. He designed a purse for, and with her while on a train in France because her own purse was inadequate. From there, the bag was born. It was later released as a fashion piece, but the mystery held.
The Birkin bag by Hermés is made with a specific design. It is a simple handbag with a simple handle and a lock and key, but it tends to cost somewhere between $5,000 and $15,000. This is because the bag is usually made of fine materials, like some type of genuine animal hide. The bags can also be decorated; in what little way the bags are decorated, with jewels such as diamonds or expensive metals. Materials and extra features vary. Crocodile skin and diamonds are two material additions that can quickly shoot up the price of the bag.Cheaper imitations can be found, though, and special edition items that cost more are also in existence. The Hermés logo is usually small and hard to see, making it look even more handmade, just like the original.
As previously sated, the Hermés Birkin bag cannot just be ordered or bought anywhere. These bags are only occasionally available in Hermés boutiques, though nobody can ever predict when. Now, they are sold online buy collectors, but this only makes them even more expensive. For example, a one-time handmade Hermés Birkin handbag of blue crocodile skin and encrusted with diamonds, sells for $280,000! This exclusive bag costs more than a house! Now that is couture!
Beauty and mystery combine just like a unicorn in this wonderful bag. Few get to see, and even less get to own of these. Whether intended or unintended, mystery and drama surround this exclusive handbags. It truly is the fashion world’s own mystery.
