Jane Birkin's original Birkin handbag, designed specifically for her by luxury fashion brand Hermès, has been sold at auction for 8.58 million euros ($15.2 million).
They're not all sold for millions of dollars but they are one of the most expensive handbags on the market.
Buying a new Birkin is extremely difficult because there is a raft of complex and sometimes mysterious rules about how to buy one.
Calling it the "Hermes Game", users and influencers on Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram dedicate entire video tutorials and threads to the tricks you need to learn before you can buy the bag.
Let's unpack the mystique and how that impacts the values of these accessories.
You have to be invited to buy a new Birkin
If you want a Birkin, it's not as simple as walking into a store.
You have to be invited to purchase one.
To be invited, you have to spend thousands of dollars on Hermes items.
According to Madison Avenue Couture, a reseller of collectable ultra-luxury handbags, it all starts with developing a relationship with a specific Hermes sales associate.
Sales associates don't make commission off selling Birkins but they do make it if they sell other items.
So, if you make multiple purchases, they may be more inclined to invite you to make a Birkin purchase.
To do this the reseller says you must:
- Dress well when visiting the boutique — preferable in Hermes clothing
- Demonstrate knowledge of the Hermes line, specifically the Birkin bag
- Establish a purchasing history
Many creators say that establishing a purchase history at a Hermes boutique is critical in the journey toward obtaining the bag.
It is not clear just how much you might need to spend to be invited, but it is likely thousands.
Fashion journalist Patty Huntington says Hermès "has a real knack" for designing signature pieces.
"It's not their only famous bag. They also have the 'Kelly' bag that was named after Grace Kelly," she told ABC News Channel.
"[The Birkin is] a simple, structured rectangular leather carryall with a flap closure and saddle stitching — and it just has a sort of mystique to it.
"I would say it's one of, if not the most, sort of coveted luxury items in popular culture."
Purchase multiple items from the brand
Luxury shopping YouTuber Lily Shops said she spent more than $US19,000 ($29,000) on jewellery, shoes and homewares to be invited to purchase her first Birkin bag.
She said that it is important not to inquire about the bag on the first visit to a boutique.
Online purchases will not count toward establishing that purchase history because sales associates will not make commission from it.
"Purchase a wide range of Hermes products so you don't appear interested only in getting a Birkin bag," Madison Avenue Couture says.
"Consider purchasing scarves, belts, jewellery, make-up etc."
But even if you work to establish love and loyalty for the brand through multiple purchases, there is no guarantee you will get the specific bag you wished for.
It could be a different size or colour and if you pass on the bag you are offered it could damage your relationship with the brand.
Book a leather appointment
If you happen to be visiting Paris, you can try your luck at booking something called a leather appointment at one of the city's three Hermes stores.
These are obtained through an online lottery system where customers can try and secure a time slot where they can purchase leather goods such as the Birkin bag.
However, even with an appointment the availability of bags is not guaranteed.
You also must already be in France to book the appointment as the booking page is blocked for other locations.
Second-hand is also an option
If you are happy to have a pre-loved bag, there is also a major, thriving second-hand luxury handbag industry.
A major driver of its popularity is the scarcity of new Birkin bags.
While a second-hand bag may be more accessible, it can actually be more expensive, with the price determined by how old, how rare, and big it is, according to Sotheby's auction house.
There are now many second-hand stores like the RealReal that specialise in reselling luxury items, proving even bought second-hand, they are a sought after status symbol.
Certain buyers are even looking for second-hand Birkin bags that are weather-beaten and worn to project an aura of generational wealth.
Buyers are warned to be wary of scams however, with many fraudulent sellers duping customers into purchasing fake bags.
Why are Birkins so sought after?
Projections for the global luxury handbag market exceed a valuation of $53 billion by 2031, according to Transparency Market Research.
There is still a healthy appetite for the Hermes brand, posting quarterly sales up by around 18 per cent in February continuing to outshine rivals like Gucci and LVMH as the industry suffers its slowest sales in years.
Before the auction of the original Birkin bag, Sotheby's most expensive sale of a Birkin was a Diamond Himalaya Birkin 30 for US$450,000 ($683,000).
Birkin bags are seen by many as a work of craftsmanship as they take a minimum of 18 hours to create.
Hermes says they are exclusively crafted in France.
Makers are trained for five years to master the process of making the bag, including leather cutting, stitching and assembly.
There is also the fact that there is limited supply and a quota of two bags per customer a year that adds to the bag's exclusivity.
The scarcity of the bag can be seen as a symbol of wealth and status and has become a plot point in many films and TV shows.
"More than just a bag, the Birkin has evolved from a practical accessory to become a timeless cultural icon," Sotehby's said.
"Its presence spans the worlds of music, film, television and the arts," it added.
"It is a red-carpet staple, a fashion magazine mainstay, and a coveted piece in the wardrobes of celebrities, artists and stylists."
Who was Jane Birkin?
British-born actress and singer Jane Birkin, was a 1960s wild child who became a beloved figure in France.
Birkin became known for carrying a hand-woven straw basket at all times, even to nightclubs and formal events.
Birkin is credited with creating the bag by sketching it out on an airplane sickness bag, during an encounter on a London-bound flight, in the 1980s with the then head of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas.
She said the pair got talking after she spilt her things on the floor, telling Dumas she could not find a large leather bag she liked.
The Paris fashion house exclusively commissioned the bag for the star in 1984 and delivered the finished one-of-a-kind bag to her the following year, Sotheby's said.
The commercialised version of Birkin's bag went on to become one of the world's most exclusive luxury items, with its extravagant price tag and years-long waiting list.
She later said in interviews that she abandoned the bag because it was "bloody heavy".
The actress died in 2023, aged 76.
