How To Buy A Birkin Bag

You've all heard of the oh-so-elusive Hermes Birkin bag. Carried by A-List celebs everywhere and knocked off by Canal Street vendors on every corner, a Birkin is the ultimate elitist symbol.

According to Reuters,

The elusive Birkin bag made by Hermes is so sought after as a status symbol by women worldwide that the French fashion house has a two year waiting list for potential owners...

The elusiveness of the Birkin has ensured it has remained one of the world's most coveted bags since Hermes named it after British actress Jane Birkin in 1984, with prices starting at about $9,000 and rising to about $34,000 for a crocodile skin bag.

However, HuffPost blogger Michael Tonello uncovers the mystery behind the Birkin and in the fashion equivalent of a tell-all book called Bringing Home The Birkin shows the masses of the world how they, too, can by-pass the marketing-ploy waiting list.

How did he do it?

"I would go into a store with a list in my Hermes Ulysse notebook and pile up scarves, shawls, bracelets, worth about $2,000. This made me seem a regular Hermes client," Tonello told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"Once I had that pile ready to buy at the last moment I'd ask for a Birkin and they would usually produce one of the back room. In 2005 I bought 130 Birkins in a three-month period -- and you tell me there is a waiting list?"

So there you have it. The one-step, one-stop shop guide to buying a Birkin. Do, however, learn from his mistakes and don't buy too many, too quickly:

"In the store in Paris I went in maybe once too often and they checked the computer and discovered how many bags I had bought. They sent me a fax saying essentially they would no longer sell me any bags."

Read some of Michael Tonello's HuffPost blogs here, including his take on the surprising world-wide-web reaction to his book.

Comments

[Maanu]

Ladies, just because you have great hair doesn't mean you should live like sheep. But what do I know, I don't want to slow down the economy by discouraging women from putting their 75 cents on the dollar into the pockets of the richest 1 percent. Bottom line is that women have been marginalized as consumers and objects of sexual consumption. It's silly to think that there's no link between the two. Women need to accept some responsibility in this, "fool me once" comes to mind. Especially in light of environmental issues. Women aren't alone in their egregious consumption, but the planet literally cannot sustain women and men consuming at the level and rampantness that this handbag issue hints at.
Bottom Bottom line: Who's the purse for? I've never slept with anyone because of their purse. The purse is for public acceptance, which is no substitute for self acceptance. That's the objective to soar for and, sorry ladies, in this regard the handbag weighs you down.

[NoSillyName]

Maanu, not all women are sheep, conspicuous consumers, or fools with more money than brains. These ridiculous status symbols are purchased by Hollyweird types to show off to each other.

Don't paint with such a broad brush, not all even have great hair.

[67bug]

"Ladies?"

[tandrmcdonald]

Re; the Birkin bag.
This is what we mean when we talk about the obscenely expensive. Of course, Michael Tonello wants to make sure everyone knows he has the money to spend on this over-priced piece of cow skin.
Even using the low end cost of $9K a bag, this spud bought 130 purses for a grand total of $1,170,000.00. One million, one hundred seventeen thousand dollars. I'll bet there are a lot of people who wish they had a tenth of that to pay for their medical care.

[thehuff]

UGH, I don't think this guy was buying them for himself. From what I have read from Amazon and HarperCollins, he was buying them to resell to celebs and other weatlhy fashionistas. Sounds genius to me, not unlike antique dealers or art galleries.

[NoSillyName]

Uh, no, not "all" of us have heard of this stupid thing. GMAB, Birkin, is that where you store your merkin?

[tandrmcdonald]

Note to NoSillyName;
I rarely wander into this section of HuffPo. Now I remember why.
Ever wonder how many people know what a merkin is?
Next question, given the naure of this part of HuffPo, I wonder how many would give a rat's ass.
Trivia note; Gypsy Rose Lee had a mink one.

[NoSillyName]

tandr, I do wander in here specifically for this reason. I was wondering if anyone would remark about the merkin or if they would simply think I was making a stupid rhyme. You know, in this day of shaving & waxing, a merkin would either be useless or perhaps even more important , depending on the situation. (lol, my dictionary prompt thingy is telling me to check on "merkin". So you're correct; not even that little helper knows what it is.)

Thank you, I think I will become your fan!

[67bug]

Why the hell would I want one of those ugly things?

[wadenelson1]

Some of these folks are going to be burning in hell alongside their Birken bags, while the homeless and hungry and those who couldn't afford medical care rejoice with their Savior.

[thehuff]

And i suppose you feel that same way about everyone who drives a Mercedes, Audi, Bentley, and owns an expensive home (or homes), not to mention a pricey watch??? It's all relative. I hope you don't buy lobster or filet mignon when you go out to dinner!

[wadenelson1]

It would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven.