A baffling question that is more complicated to answer than understanding men. If you are actively searching for a Hermes Birkin Bag, then I am pretty sure that there are more question-marks circling around your head, like:

How much is a Hermes Birkin Bag? Let’s extend it – in Europe, United States, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong?

Of course; How to buy a Hermes Birkin Bag?

Some of what we’ve heard; Can you buy Birkin online?

How long for the Hermes Birkin Bag waitinglist?

Is the Hermes Birkin 35 size ideal?

The biggest question we usually get is; What is the current Hermes Birkin Bag price?

The other day I found a very interesting youtube video and I need to share with you. Combining with the responses from our community – from people who were seeking for a Birkin Bag and from those who had found the Birkin Bag without the waitinglist (usually by accident), the information shared in this video can be (partly) true:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItpUikcE22I&w=620&h=465]

Pictures courtesy of: Youtube

A very short history; Why is the Hermes birkin so popular?

The story goes that the Hermes CEO Jean-Louis Dumas was sitting on a flight one day, from Paris to London. As he was sitting next to Jane birkin, the items in her bag fell to the deck and she scrambled to pick them up. And because Jane told Dumas that it’s not easy to find a leather weekend bag, he created a black bag for her in 1984. And since then the bag became an iconic.

Can you explain why the Hermes Birkin bag is so expensive?

Patrick Thomas, the ex-CEO of Hermes, has clarified this question explicitly during the interview with the Canadian Press. ‘There’s always one craftsman responsible for the whole process of the bag, from the start to the end. To create a single bag, it cost around 15 to 20 hours’.

But why is this bag more valuable than all other designer bags?

According to Thomas, it’s because of the intensive labor and the raw material that Hermes uses to create the bag. And he continued with details: ‘It requires not only specialized skills but also high experienced craftsmen, and the labor cost is equal to the hours of work that it is need to get the product done. Then you’ve to deal with raw materials, Hermes source and only use the best of the best for each Birkin’.

Hermes Birkin Replica?

Perhaps it’s because the Birkin waiting list is too long or because the price is just too high, some people do prefer to buy a replica. Though I’ve to admit that some replicas are done very well, but it can never compare to an authentic Birkin. I can only imagine the cost price of such bag, it must be huge. Are the replica companies prepare to drive such costly operation? I don’t think so, their only focus is making profit and not building a solid reliable brand.

I’d belief that the difference between an authentic designer bag (whether it’s a Birkin or not), lies in both craftsmanship, but also in the leather. Strip the leather off and it’s naked, the entire experience will vanish. In the end, it’s not only the brand, but it’s the trust we have in the brand – we need to be certain that we will get the bang for our bucks.

Now let’s talk about the Birkin waiting list, I will let our community speak:

‘Oh and the store in Paris advised they don’t do wait list anymore but they could be just saying that because it was overwhelming for them since there was long line (queue) of people waiting to buy.‘

Here’s another one from Viess:

‘In Singapore: Yes they mentioned the waiting list for Kelly and Birkin had closed since 5 yrs back’.

Now that some Hermes stores do not carry waiting list, I guess we should be grateful if we are on the waiting list of the waiting list.

In a minute you will understand why I am baffled by the question: ‘How To Get A Hermes Birkin Bag’. Though I get B’s and A’s for mathematics, I just can’t figure out a standard formula that you can follow. There are people in our community that got the Birkin Bag, and I mean – first time visiting Hermes boutique, not even on the waiting list and they somehow got the Hermes Birkin thrown in their face.

From Mellisa: ‘And just told my SA that I am looking for an Etoupe Birkin and he didn’t put me on the waiting list. Just kept an eye on stocks and when it came yesterday he called me and well I am picking up my baby tomorrow. It’s a togo‘.

From ES: ‘Finally got my first Birkin in Paris. Indeed hard to get, was just plain lucky. Can’t refuse when the SA showed me – Birkin 35 in Veau Barenia – light brown leather color. This is a smooth leather, the one they use for Hermes Saddles. SA said this is vintage piece (it is brand new but history goes a long way back) and they even display one in their Museum (anybody heard of Hermes Museum??). Unfortunately it will be hard to maintain as it scratches easily but it is surprisingly it is water proof‘.

Natalie’s aunty visiting Lyon: ‘However, my aunty said that it is very difficult now to get between Hermes or Kelly…It is because the demand of those bags increase 3 times. Anyway, my aunty gets herself a B35 bag in red in St Honore store. Lucky her!!!‘.

Anonymous member: ‘My husband saw a birkin 40 in black togo at New York 2 months ago‘.

I guess you just need to be lucky! But there’s more, we received mixed opinions:

From Gigi: ‘Yes, I know we can fly over to Paris to buy the bag but it is thousand miles away from my home which is locating in Asia. I am feeling that Hermes has set up certain stand or ranking to classifying the customers. If you a regular customer, you must spend at least certain amount of $$ in yearly basis and they will classify you as VIP and will call you and tell you that there is stock available. Here, there is a tycoon who can buy 6 to 7 pieces of Hermes birkin every quarter for his girlfriends as present and he sends birkin as gift to his staff‘.

Hermes Birkin Bag and Airports

Another question we usually get is about Hermes Birkin and its availability at Airports. We have been well informed that these two variables just don’t work together, listen:

From ES: ‘I had a stopover at Frankfurt and I went to the Hermes store at the airport. The SA told me that it is impossible to get Birkin at any airport store. However, it is cheaper by 16% (VAT refund for foreigners and they give you back in cash with min purchase of euro 15) if you want to buy other things like scarves, bangles etc. Well, no harm trying!’.

Can you buy Birkin online?

I belief that the Hermes waiting list is too long because there are a lot resellers on it. Resellers buy Hermes birkin for a retail price and then sell it in their store for a premium price, and it goes as high as 20 – 30 percent on the top of what they’ve paid.

H-fanatic point it out very clearly: ‘Say in past year alone, I must have visited at least 25 different H stores, some repeatedly for weeks, around the world ( mostly London, HK, Singapore, Italy, Australia) but I have never seen a Kelly or birkin offered for sale openly. Because the demand far outstrips supply. You have two options. Buy from a reseller at some 20-30 percent premium or become a valued customer at a particular store by buying “enough” of their higher margin, less demand non bags stuff (scarves, rings, watches, clik claks, CDCs). After each purchase, they record your particulars, this is to track your purchasing power and ranking. After one yr of buying many non bags stuff, I finally became their vip of sorts. I have been offered 2 kellys by the store in past 3 months, which I turned down due to the color. Both routes have their pros and cons. buying from H boutique gives u peace of mind but u end up having or learning to appreciate their non bag stuffs. Buying from reseller allows u to choose the size and color u want at a premium, but runs the risk of getting a fake’.

And that also answered the next question: ‘how trustworthy are resellers?’. I cannot answer this question due to limited experience, but as H-fanatic mentioned, you run the risk of getting a fake bag!

How to buy a Hermes Birkin online?

Since Hermes does not sell their most valuable bag on the internet (why should they, there is enough demand), you can’t buy it from their official website. Resellers publish their assortment on the internet, you can place an order and have the bag send to you. But do note the risk:

‘What if the bag get lost during its trip to your house?’

‘What if it’s not authentic?’

‘What if it is damaged?’

And the most important question: ‘Is it worth it?’

Hermes Birkin sizes: our research and data showed that Birkin fans usually choose the size 35. It’s either 30 or 35 depending on your height and personal preferences, but 35 is not too big and not too small, perfect as an everyday tote.

About the Birkin prices, we update them frequently at this page: Hermes Bag Prices. And just like any designer brands, Hermes increases their prices from time to time. The last price increase was around January 2014. It went from anywhere between 6 to 10 percent.

Pictures courtesy of: Moda Operandi