Who invented the Birkin style?

Royal

Royal

Member
Aug 7, 2006
584
7
#1
Someone told recently that the style of bag we know as the Hermes Birkin was not itself originated by the Hermes company, but by an Italian craftsman. Is that true? What is the origin of the Birkin style? Is it exclusive to Hermes? Did Hermes pick it up from someone else or did someone else get it from Hermes?

What's the history?
 
#2
It is named after the actress Jane Birkin. I don't know the whole story but I believe that someone from Hermes saw her struggling with her Kelly (opening and closing it I guess) and worked with her to design what is a Kelly that has two handles so you can carry it open.

There are some real experts on this forum though, so take my explanation with a grain of salt!!!!!!!
 
#3
Kelly Kelly said:
It is named after the actress Jane Birkin. I don't know the whole story but I believe that someone from Hermes saw her struggling with her Kelly (opening and closing it I guess) and worked with her to design what is a Kelly that has two handles so you can carry it open.

There are some real experts on this forum though, so take my explanation with a grain of salt!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Yep, that someone from Hermes is Monsieur Dumas-Hermes himself when he was on board the same plane as Jane Birkin.
 
#4
Let me see, it started with a plane trip. She found herself sitting next to Dumas-Hermes and she was carrying her ubiquitous straw bag, when all its contents tumbled out and landed on him. They started discussing bags and she mentioned her Kelly was to fussy to get in and out of quickly. He then suggested she meet him at the atelier to design a bag. Hermes was already making the HAC, upon which the Birkin was modeled. So they took the old design and modified it to her liking. The bag was not as tall so she could access it, with a longer handle drop so the bag could be carried in the crook of her arm.
 
#5
hermesgroupie said:
Let me see, it started with a plane trip. She found herself sitting next to Dumas-Hermes and she was carrying her ubiquitous straw bag, when all its contents tumbled out and landed on him. They started discussing bags and she mentioned her Kelly was to fussy to get in and out of quickly. He then suggested she meet him at the atelier to design a bag. Hermes was already making the HAC, upon which the Birkin was modeled. So they took the old design and modified it to her liking. The bag was not as tall so she could access it, with a longer handle drop so the bag could be carried in the crook of her arm.
Click to expand...

Thanks HG for this info:flowers:
 
#7
...as I have heard it, when JB got the call from Hermes, she went to pick up her bag. The SA said, "that will be $5,000 (or the French equivilent at the time), Miss Birkin" She paid for her bag. Apparantly she was reimbursed. I read that in an article about Hermes about two years ago. Might have been one of the in-flight magazines .
 
#8
^^ I think I read that too. IIRC, she still gets a discount (not free), but doesn't really even like to carry Birkins b/c they're too heavy when loaded up and she got tendinitis in her elbow or something. (IDK, maybe I'm making this part up?)
 
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