>>> Share your story with me - how did you get your first Birkin?

[Megs]

Hi all -

Some of you may not know that October 10th is National Handbag Day which we founded 5 years ago! This year we were looking to share stories on PurseBlog.com about how people were able to get a Birkin, because outside of tPF that is still quite the novel idea. You can remain anonymous and either post about it in this thread or PM me directly and let me know if you'd like to remain anonymous. We'd really love your help putting together something fun, as I know everyone's quest to that first Birkin (or beyond) may be very different!

Thanks all!!

 

[ehy12]

I am a handbag lover. With my first paycheck at the tender age of 22, after putting away for savings and buying a nice gift for my parents, I splurged on a Gucci bag. Thereafter, with each bonus check, I bought myself a nice bag...there were a few more Guccis, Fendis and LVs. I lived in a teeny apartment so eventually as my handbag collection grew, I applied the one-in one-out rule.
My dream bag since the age of 12 had been a Hermes Constance and after giving birth to my second child, I decided to take the plunge and purchased a Hermes Evie and Constance within a few months apart. The clemence leather of the Evie and the beauty of the Constance workmanship was completely addictive. I was hooked on H! The journey was not hard...after a few silk scarves abd neckties, the SA actually offered me my first Birkin...a giant Birkin 40! After years of acquiring many many Birkins and Kellys in various sizes, the feeling of that first B is still magical!!

 

[Megs]

I am a handbag lover. With my first paycheck at the tender age of 22, after putting away for savings and buying a nice gift for my parents, I splurged on a Gucci bag. Thereafter, with each bonus check, I bought myself a nice bag...there were a few more Guccis, Fendis and LVs. I lived in a teeny apartment so eventually as my handbag collection grew, I applied the one-in one-out rule.
My dream bag since the age of 12 had been a Hermes Constance and after giving birth to my second child, I decided to take the plunge and purchased a Hermes Evie and Constance within a few months apart. The clemence leather of the Evie and the beauty of the Constance workmanship was completely addictive. I was hooked on H! The journey was not hard...after a few silk scarves abd neckties, the SA actually offered me my first Birkin...a giant Birkin 40! After years of acquiring many many Birkins and Kellys in various sizes, the feeling of that first B is still magical!!

Love this story!! Thanks so much for sharing!

Ok who else?!

 

[doloresmia]

I was in my late thirties when I realized I loved the Birkin. It started because my lovely husband stated someone like me should have one. Before then I thought the bag too stuffy - this was before instagram stars, way before. Of course if he who loves me best loved the bag, I started to consider it.

Like the dork that I am, I did a lot of research online and found TPF!!!!!

I obsessed on a barenia toile Birkin. Sooo chic and classic. They were only to be had from resellers and Ebay. The bag was so expensive though! I stalked the internet for a long time - the anticipation and hope for the right bag at the right price was exquisite pain....

Finally the market crashed in 2008 and I found a beautiful pre-loved bag at a decent price (it is all relative, right?) The lovely TPF ladies authenticated her... and with a couple clicks of the mouse, she was MINE!

Many bags later, i don’t forget my first.

 

[Megs]

I've gotten a few PMs too, anyone else want to share?

 

[ODEDIHAIMS]

I began buying designer bags when my husband and I separated. I used it as therapy and also as a FU to him bc he never wanted me to buy any. I found TPF and began reading about everything. I started with LV canvas, then to Chanel and Dior, then to H as my final divorce present. I bought a Pico the day after my divorce from the boutique....it was all I could get offered of the items I wanted. But I really had fallen hard for the saddle leathers from reading about them here and I knew they would be almost impossible to get new. I had seen a bag on eBay from Docride and asked her about it. She talked me out of that one and into a VN K28 Sellier. I was over the moon when it arrived. After a few months I bought my first birkin from her, a VN B30. I had never even held a birkin before but she and I spoke quite a bit and she made me comfortable to order it. I couldn't be happier. Since then I've added from the boutique and from resale. It's been quite a ride. My collection is pretty complete and I no longer need therapy.

 

[ehy12]

I began buying designer bags when my husband and I separated. I used it as therapy and also as a FU to him bc he never wanted me to buy any. I found TPF and began reading about everything. I started with LV canvas, then to Chanel and Dior, then to H as my final divorce present. I bought a Pico the day after my divorce from the boutique....it was all I could get offered of the items I wanted. But I really had fallen hard for the saddle leathers from reading about them here and I knew they would be almost impossible to get new. I had seen a bag on eBay from Docride and asked her about it. She talked me out of that one and into a VN K28 Sellier. I was over the moon when it arrived. After a few months I bought my first birkin from her, a VN B30. I had never even held a birkin before but she and I spoke quite a bit and she made me comfortable to order it. I couldn't be happier. Since then I've added from the boutique and from resale. It's been quite a ride. My collection is pretty complete and I no longer need therapy.

Awwwww hun...what a wonderful story! Glad you have moved on and found happiness!!

 

[EllenTsai]

My

I began buying designer bags when my husband and I separated. I used it as therapy and also as a FU to him bc he never wanted me to buy any. I found TPF and began reading about everything. I started with LV canvas, then to Chanel and Dior, then to H as my final divorce present. I bought a Pico the day after my divorce from the boutique....it was all I could get offered of the items I wanted. But I really had fallen hard for the saddle leathers from reading about them here and I knew they would be almost impossible to get new. I had seen a bag on eBay from Docride and asked her about it. She talked me out of that one and into a VN K28 Sellier. I was over the moon when it arrived. After a few months I bought my first birkin from her, a VN B30. I had never even held a birkin before but she and I spoke quite a bit and she made me comfortable to order it. I couldn't be happier. Since then I've added from the boutique and from resale. It's been quite a ride. My collection is pretty complete and I no longer need therapy.

I’m also looking to get my first birkin as my divorce present
I’m going into what is looking like a messy divorce with lots of S. Long story short my husband loses me he’s going to lose everything so he’s giving me as much S as possible for the sake of it
H has been the source of positive energy
When he gives me today much stress I go to my boutique. Sometimes I buy something, sometimes I just chat with my SA and I feel much better after that.
I suppose it’s better CP as going to a therapist in that I get pretty things as well lol

 

[thelucky1]

Since buying my first Birkin 3 years ago, I've come to realize how lucky I was in getting my first B as a walk-in with no purchase history. DH and I were out shopping one day, and popped into our local H to browse one busy Saturday afternoon. Neither of us had any history with the store, and it took a while before anyone was even free to help us. I picked out a scarf and when our SA asked if there was anything else she could help us with, I mentioned that I was interested in a B. She asked if we were local (we are!) and asked what size and color I was interested in; luckily, I'd done my research! At first, she said that she didn't think there was anything available, but then when ringing us up, asked casually if I would be open to orange, which was definitely on my list, since I wanted a pop color for my first bag. Five minutes later, we were in the back unboxing my beautiful Feu 35, and the rest is history!

 

[Kitty S.]

A few years ago, I was heading to Paris for work and thought I’d try my luck to get a B or K there. Before the trip, I did my research on how to get one and ended up gathering most of my intel on TPF! I learned the pro and con of different H stores in Paris, how to ask a SA for a B or K, what color/leather/size/HW combo my heart desired. I was offered a K32 on my first try and came home happily with the beautiful memento. After that, I naively thought that my life would have been complete if I could just have one Birkin. So I found a local SA and started a relationship (there were complications that are omitted for a more concise story here). I read somewhere on TPF that celebrating your birthday is a good reason to ask your SA for a Birkin. So I tried that and got my birthday Birkin indeed! It all sounds like a fairy tale coming true except that I didn’t realize at the time, there is simply no stopping at ONE Birkin...

 

[Megs]

Ah thanks so much for sharing everyone!!!! Love all these stories!!!

 

[Megs]

Anyone else want to share? We are going to start working on getting the post together tomorrow so get your story in if you want to share!

 

[tabbi001]

I was inlove with bags eversince I was in college and was obsessed with other brands. It was only last year when I walked into my home store for the 1st time and inquired about bags. After 2 months, I got my 1st kelly and I was ecstatic. It was so beautiful and I loved it. A month after was our family trip to Europe and I decided to try my luck in Paris. I have been reading stories, both horror and happy endings ones, from the Paris thread and was very apprehensive. I was hoping for my 1st Birkin to come from FSH as I feel that it would be very special. Lo and behold, my wish was granted and I came home with my 1st Birkin. There were tears of joy when I saw it and I could all but hug my SA. It was an extremely magical feeling, like Disneyland for adults.
Now, several B's and K's and a C after, I still feel giddy and happy whenever I am offered a bag in a color that I love. But nothing could ever compare to that moment when I laid eyes on that 1st birkin, and I knew that all the H drama has been worth it. I just wish I had filmed it so that I could go over and over that precious time. I know some people will say "it's just a bag." But to me? It's a dream come true

 

[Stansy]

I was pretty shy walking into Hermès to ask for a Birkin, but finally I took the plunge and went to H with DH. So far I only had two scarves (gifts from DH) and a clover leather charm but I had been admiring the brand for years: I used to be a ballet dancer, and the studio was on top of an H store, so I always got to look at the goods there! It has always been my goal in my life to be able (however no must) to acquire H goods...
Unfortunately when placing the wish for a B I knew exactly what I wanted, so I never got to play with the sample bags for size as well as the leather samples for leather type and color...
I asked for a B35 in gold togo with GHW.
Fast forward one year I got THE call from my boutique. I honestly had completely forgotten about the bag as we were young parents, and I was sitting at the doctor´s office with DD (4 mo at that time) who had developed a serious condition. My mind was elsewhere but not with luxury items!
However when DH got home in the evening I told him that I had some good news and some bad news: my bag is ready for pick-up and it´s gonna be expensive, haha!
So we went to the store the next Saturday, and I got the bag. It was love at first sight, the SA was super-sweet and we made jokes about DD being the next customer generation.

 

[Cambridge Girl]

My H journey started in 2013 when I was doing my MPhil in the UK. I visited Paris for the first time in my life with my bestie, scored a Kelly 32 for my DM as her birthday present at FSH! Was absolutely thrilled by the magical experience at the mothership of Hermes, and have been addicted to H ever since!! Over the past few years, I’ve been slowly expanding my H leather goods collection with other bag styles such as Herbag, Lindy, Berline, Roulis, as well as some SLGs...BUT it’s not until 2017 the idea of getting a Birkin springs to mind!

I’d always thought I was a Kelly girl instead of a Birkin girl, as I prefer bags that come with shoulder strap which allow me to free both of my hands while shopping / running errands. But after getting a few H bags, I discovered some of them are quite tricky to get things in and out of (I’m referring to Kelly and Herbag here lol), whilst others (Berline and Roulis in my case) are not roomy enough when I need to carry a bit more (e.g. scarf, book, documents, iPad...). And that’s when I realise I would want to add a Birkin to my H collection at the beginning of this year! But in Hong Kong, rumour has it that it’s rather difficult for one to have a B/K/C offer from a local boutique, unless one spends a significant amount on non-leather goods such as RTW, fine jewellery, scarfs or watches. So for several months after I have this idea of getting a B, I’ve been exploring the non-leather goods sections of Hermes and see if there’s anything that makes my heart sing so that I can join the H game!

So fast forward to this August, when I was browsing my regular H boutique in Hong Kong, I saw a coat which I really like, and I thought to myself: maybe I should ask my SA THE question as this seems to be my best chance? And to my utter surprise, my SA asked about my preferences!! (You know that's a positive sign of getting an offer) Tbh I’m quite picky when it comes to Hermes and I only buy bags in colour/hardware combo that I really love. I told my SA I wanted a B30 Bleu Atoll GHW. My SA initially said that they didn't receive any B in BA lately, but to my surprise again, in just a few days' time, my SA texted me and said they’ve received that exact same bag I’ve requested!! Of course I rushed to the boutique after work that evening to look at the bag...it’s sooooo pretty and I was blown away!! Obviously the rest was history and I’m now enjoying my B30!!

And that’s how I got my first Birkin...with a bit of luck, a SA that clicks with me, a good timing, and last but not least, of course, a bit of spending haha!