Seams in the interior of Birkins...

jaegerhomme

Member
Sep 5, 2006
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I noticed that the seams (line of two or more layers of leather held together by stitching) , of the interior of most birkins, are just sealed with a layer of resin. In other combinations, like leather and toile or 50cm travel birkin with toile lining, the seams are lined and covered with an extra layer of leather before they are stitched. I think seams covered with leather lining gives the interior a more uniform look as opposed to unlined where the edges of the seams sealed with resin are visible.

I'm now curious if anyone has noticed this too and have indicated in their Special Order of birkins for the seams to be finished and covered with layer of leather lining sewn to the seams? Has anyone requested a different color of leather lining to just cover the seams so that its color contrasts against the overall color of the interior?
 
I first noticed the covered seams in my swift lindy. All my Birkins and Kellys (SOs, Croc, Ostrich) have seams sealed with resin.

I do not recall that one can specify on the SO form, for the seams to be covered nor can one specify the colour of the covered seams.
 
Here is an example of covered seams found in the interior of a natural barenia and toile birkin with chevre lining...
 

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Here is an example of covered seams in the interior of a gold vache liegee travel birkin with cotton/toile lining...
 

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Here is an example where the seams are not covered with leather lining and are only sealed with resin on a natural sable fjord birkin with chevre lining...
 

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Thanks mrssparkles for sharing your experience on SO. I think maybe if the seams are covered with leather lining, the overall shape and structure of the corners will remain upright and have less tendency to slouch over time. Also, it gives the interior a refined look.

Another style that has the covered seams is the plume bag. Here is a photo of the interior of a natural barenia and toile plume with chevre lining...
 

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I wonder if the seams are covered with leather because leather + toile will not hold the rasin seal as the fabric will fray or if it is because leather + leather + leather covered seams will be too thick to stitch? :thinking:
 
I wonder if the seams are covered with leather because leather + toile will not hold the rasin seal as the fabric will fray or if it is because leather + leather + leather covered seams will be too thick to stitch? :thinking:

I would think the first is the most likely explanation, just based on my very amateur sewing background (binding the edges of a fabric seam is one way to prevent fraying). Plus, the extra leather probably gives more structure to the toile and larger bags. It looks nice finished that way. Thanks for pointing it out...just another detail that makes Hermes construction so solid.
 
wow fantastic info , but .... to tell the truth i love when i can see the line that shows where the bag has been crafted dont now find it chic and part of the birkin i guess!
 
That's a great observation! Very interesting!

But I think the explanation that the extra layer of leather makes the toile version more structured makes sense!