Happy Thanksgiving from The Luxury Closet
If I could pick any bag to tote with me to Thanksgiving dinner this year, a Hermes Orange Birkin would be it. To me, orange is the color of autumn- the beautiful falling leaves on the trees, the jerseys on the backs of my college football team, and my favorite: pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving day. Just thinking about it gives me the warm and fuzzies.
Here at The Luxury Closet, the color orange is synonymous with the epitome of luxury – Hermes.
Every time a bright orange box makes its way into the office, we know we’re in for a treat. When we open the box and there’s a Birkin inside, it’s like Christmas morning. Members of the sales, content and buying teams scurry over to see what we’re received and the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ resonate throughout the building.
But what’s so special about a Birkin? It’s just a really expensive leather handbag, right? Being one of the most iconic handbags in history, I’m going to go with ‘absolutely not!’
Named after British actress Jane Birkin, the bag was first introduced in 1984. While on a flight to London, Birkin’s handbag unexpectedly toppled over, spilling its entire contents. Seeing the mess, the man sitting next to her suggested she invest in a bag with pockets to prevent future mishaps. She responded, stating that if Hermes made a bag with pockets, she would already have one. Unbeknownst to her, the man sitting beside her was Jean-Louis Dumas, then CEO of Hermes. He politely introduced himself and said that he would make it happen. As a result of this chance exchange on an airplane, the Hermes Birkin was born.
Hermes as a brand prides itself on its exceptional quality of materials and workmanship. Reportedly, each expertly crafted Birkin is composed of over 2800 hand stitches and takes up to 48 hours to complete. The bags are available in a variety of skins from the most supple calf leathers to luxurious exotic skins like ostrich, lizard, and most exclusively, saltwater crocodile. It goes without saying that items of this quality and prestige come with a price- Birkins range from around $5,000 USD for typical run of the mill Togo leather to over $100,000 for the rare reptile version. The material used is not the only exclusive thing about these beauties either- wait lists for these masterpieces are known to stretch up to 4 years depending on the specifics. So if you’re looking to get your hands on one, but aren’t the most patient person in the world, your best bet is to explore authentic re-seller options like us.
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Catherine Travers
Handbag & Shoes Category Manager
The Luxury Closet
