The story of a fashion icon

All of us have probably heard about the famous Birkin Bag at least once. The story of this high-end style icon, however, was not immediately such a sweeping success! Would you ever have guessed it? For more than ten years after its creation, the Birkin was simply a luxury item like many others, with no real impact on the glamour scene.

When did the Birkin Bag become successful?

It was only at the end of the 1990s that it became a chic, elite status symbol, thanks to film stars and celebrities in general who began showing it off. But it was events at the start of the new millennium that turned it into a pop-culture cult object, such as the episode of the hugely famous TV series Sex and the City in which one of the main characters, the beautiful Samantha, begins her own desperate search for the most elusive handbag of all: a Birkin. She is placed on a waiting list of no less than five years, helping to elevate the myth of this iconic object even further.

When was the Birkin Bag born?

The story behind the birth of the Birkin is tied to an anecdote that took place on a flight between Paris and London in 1984. Picture, on the stairs of an Air France Airbus, one of the most acclaimed movie stars of the time: long hair falling below her shoulders, an effortlessly carefree bearing, and a large basket bag she preferred to travel with between the two European capitals. She was Jane Birkin, and on that little over one-hour flight she would sketch one of the most desired objects ever by women: the BIRKIN bag!

As luck would have it, seated in first class on the same plane, right next to her, was a distinguished gentleman in a dark suit, though not particularly eye-catching: the kind of typical “white-collar” man, we might have said on seeing him. Not especially handsome, with a pronounced bald spot, slight in build but with lively eyes. As it happened, that very ordinary-looking man was named Jean-Louis Dumas and he was the president and artistic director of one of the French fashion houses that is still synonymous with luxury today. From 1978 to 2006, Jean-Louis helped make the Hermès brand great.

While rummaging through her basket bag, Jane dropped her diary: an agenda she never parted with, where she wrote ideas and projects, commitments and secrets, and that diary happened to be branded Hermès! Her seatmate could not — if only out of professional instinct — resist jokingly suggesting: “My dear, perhaps it’s time to consider buying a bag with pockets suitable for travelling like this.” But Jane, who certainly was not shy, smiled at the remark and replied: “My basket bag will retire when Hermès makes one for me!”. There it was: challenge accepted! Jean-Louis’s expression changed and, like a child in front of a delicious treat, he became eager to sketch out the idea — outlines, drawings and scribbles in which Jane also joined in with amusement… by the time they landed, the BIRKIN BAG had been born!

How long does it take to get a Birkin Bag?

And here the factors are more than one: time and money. First of all, only very few Birkin bags are produced each year. The creative line offers very few models, and they remain in production for only a few seasons, which makes the item rather hard to find. So how do you get one? Of course, you can have disproportionate amounts of money and be lucky enough to find a boutique willing to sell it to you, but the standard way is to be a loyal customer of the boutique and purchase regularly so that you earn the owner’s favour and are granted the privilege of being placed on the list… waiting lists that can last for years!

How much does a Birkin cost?

Talking about money for an item like this is vulgar, of course, but for ordinary mortals like us it is a curiosity, and we know that a Birkin can start at around 7,000 euros on the price list, though it is well known that certain exclusive models easily go beyond several tens of thousands of euros.

What is the most expensive bag in the world?

A Birkin, of course! A very rare Birkin Faubourg model, produced in only fifty pieces, created in 2019 for Hermès VIP clients and inspired by the maison’s Paris boutique. This bag was sold for 158,000 euros.

But beware! Every love story can come to an end

And so it was that in 2015 Jane Birkin asked the Maison to replace the Birkin name! It was in September 2015 when Jane stated: “After being made aware of the cruel practices suffered by crocodiles during their slaughter for the production of Hermès bags bearing my name, I asked the Hermès group to give the Birkin another name.” Yes indeed, because it takes no fewer than 3 adult crocodiles to make a Birkin, and those are not born in captivity. In an increasingly mistreated world, life may become a little harder for Birkin bags — though we bet they will never actually change their name!

Can I have a Birkin?

And this is the question we love answering the most: YES! And with very little money and a little bit of creativity! In fact, on the Tessiland website there is an eco-leather BIRKIN BAG set available, perfect for creating this style icon in very little time and with the structure, colour and stitch we want! Yes, because we are talking about a crochet Birkin bag to be made with a crochet bag cord such as THAI SUBLIME, available in solid colours in more than 40 always-matched shades, or gradient if we want a more personal fashion touch by choosing THAI SUBLIME SFUMATO, or even with lurex if we prefer a chic touch using THAI SUBLIME LUX.

But the options do not end here: let us imagine wanting to create a Birkin bag with a two-colour 3D stitch, and in that case it is possible to follow one of the most beautiful Birkin tutorials made by FataTuttofare:

• SET Birkin Slim Solid Blue Cotton

Watch the step-by-step tutorial to make the Birkin bag

Conclusions and advice

The Birkin bag has always been one of the most desired models, and its handmade execution is often considered difficult, but with this tutorial you too will be able to create your own personal Birkin bag with 100% Made in Italy quality. Once the bag is finished, you can also personalise it to make it even more unique with a customisable Handmade tag with your name or a small phrase that represents you!

Let’s discover the Birkin set in detail, how to use it, and a few curiosities

Frequently Asked Questions