Birkin bags are a buzzword you hear when you catch up on celebrity news. A socialite possibly has one, and you wanted to see all the fuss.
When you looked these up, you were shocked by the price! They are costly and carry a hefty price tag. Birkin bags are the crème de la crème of the bag world. Everyone wants what only a few have.
Birkin bags hold an exclusive price tag due to being made with delicate and coveted material. They are handcrafted from start to finish, and only those invited can buy them. A Birkin is not just a bag. It is a statement. It is a fashion testament and an investment. Birkin bags are expensive due to the time, effort, material, and exclusivity each bag holds.
Topics
1. Handmade From Start To Finish
Birkin bags are handmade from fine materials and hold intricate details. It takes time, patience, and a substantial amount of practice. Moreover, each bag is made by only one artisan.
These bags are not mass-produced. Therefore, there are no stacks upon stacks made each year.
Birkin bags take time and attention to detail. Creating a product by hand can increase the cost of the item, which we see with these bags.
2. They Are Considered An Investment
Birkin bags are considered investment pieces, much like gold or silver.
Like all commodities, these bags are expensive. Recently a Birkin bag was sold for $500,000. This fact alone drives up the price of all other bags from the brand, meaning it can be an excellent idea to invest in a Birkin.
Birkin bags are also likely to hold their value as collectibles. No matter when it is bought, it will likely be able to be resold for what was paid for it or more.
3. Birkin Bags Are Exclusive
Birkin bags are highly exclusive. Even when you have the money to purchase one, it is implausible that a person will be able to walk into the Hermès store and buy it off the rack.
Buyers of Birkin bags build relationships with the sales associates. At one point, it was not uncommon for people to be placed on a waiting list.
However, now people are offered exclusive invitations to purchase when the bags become available.
4. They Are Made From High-End (And Rare) Materials
Birkin bags are made of the highest quality materials. Not only are the Birkin Bag materials of excellent quality, but the materials are also quite rare.
For instance, these bags are made of ostrich, alligator, and calfskin leather. However, not just any kind of leather will do. The quality must be fine enough to offer the suppleness Birkin bags are famous for.
These leather kinds are rare and expensive to begin with. Combined with the meticulous manufacturing process, these materials drive the costs up.
5. Birkin Bags Have Precious Metal & Gem Details
Besides being made of rare leather and quality materials, many Birkin bags also feature expensive details made with real silver, gold, and even platinum. Some bags are also decorated with gems, including striking diamonds.
Precious metals and diamonds alike come with high price tags.
6. Birkin Bags Are Unique
Birkin bags are unique. While a handful of people can make a Birkin bag, working on one takes time and precision.
Even though some Birkin lines from Hermès are similar, no two bags are exactly alike.
Like everything else that is one of a kind, their uniqueness makes these bags a lot more desirable (and expensive).
7. Birkin Bags Are Artisan Pieces
Artisans are people who spend their time learning how to make something with their hands. This is exceedingly true for those learning how to craft a Birkin bag.
Birkin bag artisans can spend up to ten years learning how to construct these masterpieces properly.
All the time that the artisans put into learning how to forge a product can help us understand why these bags are on the higher side of the pay scale.
8. Cost of Buying A Resell
Since Birkin bags are exclusive and handmade, it can be hard to predict when one will be able to purchase them.
This makes room for people who have them to resell or even particular companies to acquire and resell them.
With high product demand and supply much lower than many other bags, resellers can capitalize on this and mark the prices up.
9. Because People Will Pay
Since Birkin bags are oh, so coveted, that means that people are willing to pay. They will pay the resale price. They will make those connections to get the invitations and save money because a Birkin is a symbol of sophistication.
10. Birkin Bags Indicate Social Influence
Many people these days look for the next best thing they can post on Instagram or Tik Tok for likes and views.
A Birkin bag will definitely help boost social influence. They are highly sought after and people want to see who has them and where they go.
The owner of the most expensive Birkin Bag, David Oancea, even declared that he actually bought the bag for content, so that people would talk about him.
11. Birkin Bags Are Collection Worthy
Many people like to have pieces to add to their handbag collections. A Birkin Bag would be the prize piece for any collection.
Not only are they hard to get your hands on, but Hermès often limits how many Birkins can be bought by a sole customer.
This limitation makes these bags even more collection worthy.
12. Birkin Bags Are A Status Symbol
People from Melania Trump to Kim Kardashian carry Birkin bags as a status symbol. The exclusiveness along with the price tells the world that owning a Birkin means your status is top-notch.
Owning one puts a person in the same league as celebrities and the haves of the world.
Conclusion
Birkin bags are beautiful, hand crafted, and exclusive pieces of art. The rich and famous wear them as a status symbol, while most fashion enthusiasts see them as icons.
Rare and high-quality materials, precious details, exclusivity, and design uniqueness make these bags expensive.
However, considering how much time and effort goes into making one, and that each Birkin bag is collectible, their prices are easy to justify.