When actress and singer Jane Birkin and Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas met on a trip from Paris to London in 1984, the legend of the legendary Birkin bag was born.
Two wrapped handles, a flap top, clou “feet,” and a lock closing make up the revolutionary design of the Birkin bag from that era. Hermès enthusiasts have continued to fall in love with this functional and stylish design.
Each piece of the Birkin is painstakingly made by highly skilled artisans who dedicate at least 18 hours to the process.
As opposed to more contemporary assembly line production, one artist makes and assembles the complete bag.
Each Birkin bag has a special code that identifies the artisan who produced it, the workshop where it was made, and the year it was made.
Who made Birkin famous?
The now-famous Birkin bag was created as a result of Birkin’s comment during her chat with the CEO of Hermes about the necessity for a practical yet fashionable purse.
Why are birkins named after Jane?
When it came time for manufacturing, Dumas the CEO of Hermes created the bag on the fly and gave it the name Birkin.