Has the quality and size of the birkin changed over the years?

zayzac

Member
Mar 8, 2009
23
0
Hey everyone,please please I need to know if the birkin 35 has increased in size.I recently compared a gold togo birkin 35 I aquired a few years ago and a vert anis 35 togo birkin earlier this year and most recently a' brick colour' birkin 35 togo a few wEeks ago.I noticed that the red'brick' was slightly taller by about half an inch than the vert anis and the vert anis about 3/4 inch taller than the gold.I also noticed that the leather of the gold is much thicker and firmer than the other two which are slightly softer.I acquired these bags from hermes so are authentic.I am worried that the quality of hermes might be diminishing as it seems they are producing so much more as it is so easy to get a hold off now.Thanks guys,please give your own opinion and observation.
 
As it's a handcrafted bag, I think it wouldn't be uncommon to find slight differences. I would expect your older gold Togo to be a little shorter than your newly acquired bag, as you've carried it for a few years, and the skin has softened somewhat, causing a small amount of slouching.

Keep in mind too, that there can be differences in the skins used, even if they are all Togo.

Hermes may, indeed, have upped their production slightly to meet the demand and supply their new markets, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that they're "producing so much more." A very limited quantity of Birkins come out of the Pantin workrooms each week. I think you're finding that it's easier to acquire one now due to the downturn in the economy. Many PO's and even some SO's aren't being claimed, so there are more Birkins appearing on store shelves.

I wouldn't worry about the quality diminishing, though. They're still completely handmade and handstitched according to the most exacting standards, using the best quality leathers, hardware, etc.
 
Handmade things have variation. Quite a bit of variation, actually. It does not mean that the quality or durability has diminished. It could just be that the pattern used to make each of your bags was from a different lot of patterns or that each were made by a different craftsman, etc.

Also, visual inspection (as in human eyes) is horribly low for catching defects or differences in this regard. Quite amazing, really.

Enjoy your treasures and don't worry about them. Take good care of them and enjoy the opportunity.
 
The quality of workmanship also varies by the type of leather. The clemence/swift/togo Birkins seem most prone to variability. I suspect some of this is partly related to the supply and demand issue. There are threads on this workmanship issue if you do a search, and this issue has also come up on the Authenticate This H bag thread a few times. It's very frustrating. These are problems that transcend just the handmade aspect of these bags. I am actually amazed at how little variability there is in some of my older Birkins.
 
The quality of workmanship also varies by the type of leather. The clemence/swift/togo Birkins seem most prone to variability. I suspect some of this is partly related to the supply and demand issue. There are threads on this workmanship issue if you do a search, and this issue has also come up on the Authenticate This H bag thread a few times. It's very frustrating. These are problems that transcend just the handmade aspect of these bags. I am actually amazed at how little variability there is in some of my older Birkins.


Pepper, I agree 100% ...... Not to mention how little variability there has been in Kelly bags from the 50's to the late 90's.
 
^I noticed you mentioned the lower quality in the authentication thread, mrssparkles. How has it gotten worse? Is it the quality of the leather? The stitching? I'm new to H, so I appreciate the insight from you experts!
 
the quality of the craftsmenship went down yes but most importantly the quality of the skins too. they are still very goood but just not as they where decades ago something we have to blame ourselfes for and the pollution etc
 
When buying any handmade product, especially at these prices, a careful inspection of the actual item is advised, regardless of the reputation of the company. The most important things to me include and are not limited to:

1. Is the bag symmetrical and does it stand perfectly and not lean to one side or the other, or to the front or back? It should stand perfectly, especially when the flap is tucked in, which is how most everyone carries a Birkin.
2. Is the skin centered and the texture even throughout the bag--especially exotics, but including Fjord, Togo, Buffalo and Clemence.
3. Is the stitching tight and even--again, throughout the bag.
4. Are the handles perfect? Birkin handles, when new, should form a perfect "U" shape and not bow out or point.
5. Is the hardware applied perfectly with no gap between the skin and metal?
6. The edging should be perfectly even with no evidence that more than one skin has come together--it should appear totally uniform and evenly waxed. It should feel completely smooth to the hand.
7. The lining and exterior should be perfectly matched, so that no waviness is created in the front panel, or anywhere else due to even minor size issues between the interior and exterior.
 
the quality of the craftsmenship went down yes but most importantly the quality of the skins too. they are still very goood but just not as they where decades ago something we have to blame ourselfes for and the pollution etc

It is true and yes, quality has gone down in lots of things (not only Hermès, but also food, f.e.) And yes, it is partly our own fault. :sweatdrop:

However, considering the price raises, it really shouldn't be that way. :nogood:
 
But I must add, that Hermès quality and standards are still probably the best there is. Plus I don't have the comparison over several years, so I don't know how it used to be, but I sure do love the quality of my birkin. :smile:
 
:tup:

When buying any handmade product, especially at these prices, a careful inspection of the actual item is advised, regardless of the reputation of the company. The most important things to me include and are not limited to:

1. Is the bag symmetrical and does it stand perfectly and not lean to one side or the other, or to the front or back? It should stand perfectly, especially when the flap is tucked in, which is how most everyone carries a Birkin.
2. Is the skin centered and the texture even throughout the bag--especially exotics, but including Fjord, Togo, Buffalo and Clemence.
3. Is the stitching tight and even--again, throughout the bag.
4. Are the handles perfect? Birkin handles, when new, should form a perfect "U" shape and not bow out or point.
5. Is the hardware applied perfectly with no gap between the skin and metal?
6. The edging should be perfectly even with no evidence that more than one skin has come together--it should appear totally uniform and evenly waxed. It should feel completely smooth to the hand.
7. The lining and exterior should be perfectly matched, so that no waviness is created in the front panel, or anywhere else due to even minor size issues between the interior and exterior.