An iconic classic since it was first designed in 1984, nothing says the ultimate status symbol quite like Hermès’ Birkin bag collection. Rumor has it that Victoria Beckham owns at least 100 of these bags. That’s a lot of Birkins to store in your closet, but who would complain?
But then, why is this highly coveted bag such a prized item?
In the high-end fashion industry, there’s no bag that’s more sought-after than this iconic bag staple and it’s getting harder to get one! The Birkin bag price is something every handbag lover searches for when deciding on buying one.
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The Cost: Birkin Bag Price
The Birkins seem to increase in price every year. Only recently, the Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Birkin 30 was sold for an impressive $400,000 in 2019. This was a record-breaking deal at the time, as no Birkin had ever been sold for that price before, and no sale has thus far been made that has surpassed it.
The more attainable Birkins, cheapest birkin bag price can start from around $10,000 and reach up to $250,000 for the more high-end designs. There’s also a waitlist for these bags, and if you can’t wait to get your hands on one, you might get lucky and find some resellers selling these beauties for under $15,000. Check out some resale Birkin Bag options listed below!
In most cases, you will find the second-hand market will charge a premium for a basic (good condition) model, simply because it’s easier to buy and not have to go through the hassle of the boutique waitlist. Plus you get the luxury of finding the exact bag you waint, rather than being offered one at the boutique you might not love.
The prices of today’s Birkin range have shot up significantly since the 90s. Even a pre-owned Birkin still commands an impressive resale value price, sometimes even higher, as the supply to demand ratio is unmatched.
Find our Hermes Kelly Bag Price List Here.
For a leather Hermes Kelly 32 bag, this is what you’d have paid in the 1950s and 2022
- 1950 – $900
- 1960 – $1,300
- 1970 – $2,450
- 1980 – $4,000
- 1990 – $5,100
- 2000 – $7,400
- 2014 – $9,250
- 2020 – $10,200
- 2022 – $11,100
For a Birkin 35 bag, this is what you’d be paying over the decades:
- 1980 – $2,000
- 1990 – $2,750
- 2000 – $4,000
- 2014 – $11,000
- 2020 – $12,100
- 2022 – $13,200
Current 2023 Hermes Birkin Bag Prices in Boutique: (Increased by 8%-9.5% from 2022)
Birkin 25
- Togo: $10,400
- Epsom Sellier: $10,900
- Swift: $10,500
- MatteGator: $43,500
- Touch Togo/Nilo: $19,500
- Ostrich: $19,700
Birkin 30
- Togo: $11,600
- Epsom Retourne: $11,100
- Touch Togo/ Gator: $16,200
- Chevre: $11,700
- Box: $14,000
Birkin 35
- Togo: $13,500
- Epsom Sellier: $14,000
Current 2023 Hermes Birkin Bag Prices In Europe
Birkin 25
- Togo: €8,050
- Sellier Epsom: €8,650
- Sellier Box: €11,900 (14% increase!)
- Lizard: €15,100
- Ostrich: €17,800
- Shadow: €10,100
Most Popular Hermes Bag Sizes: Hermes Birkin Bag 25 & Hermes Kelly 25 (see Kelly options later)
Most Hermes bag lovers would be happy to have any size offered to them, however the Birkin black 25 size is by far the most sought-after size in the Hermes world. It is also the HARDEST purse size to find on the resale market as well, but we found some great options below!
Birkin 25 prices at online shops like Fashionphile and more
The Buyers
It seems that everyone wants a Birkin bag if they could have it, ranging from celebrities to elite fashion collectors. A-list celebrities have been photographed on more than one occasion carrying a Birkin bag. Some famous celebrity names that have been photographed with their Birkin bags include Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Lady Gaga, and the list goes on. How much is a birken bag is the question on everyones mind, since the prices are not readily available online like other designer fashion houses.
The Type of Leather will Determine the Birkin Bag Price You Pay:
Hermes Cheap Bag “The Herbag”
Hermes is not known for having cheap handbags, so saying the word “cheap” and “Hermes” in one sentence feels like a sin. However, a great way to buy into the Hermes brand is by opting for their lesser expensive sister bag, the Herbag. This bag is a stunning version of Hermes’ most popular styles but made in a beautiful sturdy toile canvas. Check out my favorite resale versions of the Hermes Herbag below.
The Box Calf Birkin
Made from calves, you’ll find this leather used in many handbags and leather shoe styles. While this leather is quite flexible, it is sturdier in construction and provides structure. The cheapest birkin bag price comes in this type of leather typically, as the price tag is usually lower than other materials. This material CAN scratch a bit easier, however the scratches can easily be buffed into the leather- a great lower price tag option!
The Epsom Bags
A stamped-grain leather that appears to be more structured and rigid that most other leathers. One of the more durable items in the range that’s strong enough to withstand everyday wear and tear.
The Togo Bags
Made from a baby calf, this leather option is luxurious. It feels raised to the touch and soft. Unlike the other leather options, this one requires a little more maintenance as the fine texture can be forgiving in most cases.
The Ostrich Birkin & The Crocodile Birkin
Ostrich and crocodile leather are considered exotic leathers and can be placed in the same category as snakeskin. These are an iconic look for the Birkin range of bags. The ostrich leather is known for its flexibility, softness, and surprising durability.
The most popular Kelly size at the moment: Mini Kelly
Kelly 25 prices at online shops like Fashionphile, Rebag, and eBay
How exactly did this masterpiece come about?
The Hermès Birkin bags birth happened when British actress Jane Birkin met Hermès Chief Executive Jean-Louis Dumas back in 1981. Back then, Birkin spent most of her career based in Paris, France, where she quickly rose to fame. Despite the fact that Birkin didn’t speak French at the time, she quickly rose to fame, as did her passion for fashionable and luxurious clothing.
Dumas and Birkin would bump into each other on a flight from Paris, when Birkin was trying to fit all her belongings in the plane’s overhead compartment. At the time, she was using a straw bag that couldn’t contain it all, and everything came crashing down.
Frustrated by the ordeal, Birkin began ranting that nice purses were never quite big enough to carry several things, and this is when inspiration struck Dumas. The light bulb went off in his head, and he was sure that Birkin wasn’t the only woman who struggled with this problem.
Dumas saw an opportunity here to create a luxury bag that was both practical and fashionable. Thus, Hermes Birkin bags were born.
What happened since it was created?
It was that fateful international flight that started the trend. After their initial meeting, Dumas went on to create the first Birkin bag in 1984. It was a beautiful leather piece that was designed specifically for Jane Birkin. Birkin was happy to use the bag for a while, but the bag was quickly becoming far too heavy because of all the items she was lugging around with her.
She eventually stopped using the bag after a while, but by then, it had already become the biggest fashion must-haves at the time. Who knew that a flight from Paris to London would result in the birth of an iconic masterpiece?
Exclusivity is among the many reasons why the Hermès Birkin bag comes at such a hefty price tag. As of 2019, there are around one million Birkins created. However, resellers contribute to that final figure, and not everything comes directly from the Hermes headquarters.
Hermès Birkin bags are often bought and then sold again to the new buyers eager to get them. Sometimes, the resale costs are much higher than the original Birkin bag price tag, too. It goes to show how much people are willing to pay to own one of these Hermès Birkin bags.
A bag that comes straight from Hermes, however, is much harder to come by. The reason is that there’s only a limited quantity of purses that are churned out every year, and these are reserved for Hermès’ elite clientele. With the Birkin 30 retail price being the most sought after size, after the Birkin 25, the Birkin bag price varies by material, color and supply & demand.
Each piece is sewn by hand using Hermes’ saddle stitching, a signature before it’s buffed and polished to perfection. Every piece is carefully handmade in France, and each bag could take several days before it’s completed. The brown birkin bag is a classic color way that most handbag lovers yearn for. Another question most trend seekers look for the orange birkin bag cost.
You only have to look at these bags’ craftsmanship to understand why the Birkin bag price commands the kind of price tag it does. The quality that’s used in the Hermès Birkin bag is the reason why the bags come in varying textures and smells. The degree of craftsmanship required to craft one of these masterpieces is the reason behind the bags’ high cost.
“Who knew that a flight from Paris to London would result in the birth of an iconic masterpiece? The Hermès Birkin.”
What It Costs to Buy the Hermes Birkin
Unlike what we’re used to, the Hermès Birkin bags aren’t something you can just walk in and purchase on a whim. This isn’t a handbag you’d randomly purchase online, either (unless it’s a reseller). As one of the most coveted luxury handbags on the market today, owning a Birkin bag has become a combination of prowess and patience.
Remember that scene from Sex and the City where Samantha was trying to wiggle her way up the waitlist to own one of those hard to get Hermès Birkin bags? Yes, that’s how much patience and determination one needs to purchase a piece like this. Sometimes, you could be waiting for months to own one.
The good news is, the wait in order to buy a Birkin might buy you some time to save up some extra dough because these Birkins are called luxury goods for a reason. Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to own one of these beautiful pieces will attest to how special these luxury bags truly are. It’s an investment, and it has been that way for several years.
If the bag you’re after happens to be out of production, you’ll find no shortage of Pinterest boards with Birkin resellers. Admittedly, most people would gasp at the over-the-top Birkin bag price tag, but when you venture into the Birkin world, you’ll understand why this bag hasn’t lost its place in the last four decades as one of the most desirable luxury bags out there.
The Togo Birkin was the only piece that didn’t increase in price for 2020. The Birkin 25 saw an increase of 3%, while the Birkin 30 saw an increase of 2.65%. The Birkin bag price increase for 2023 is expected to be within that range, too.
How much do birkin bags cost? Or how much is a berkin bag? With the price differences between Europe and the United States, buying a Birkin bag in Europe will still be cheaper. You could save anywhere from 24.6% to 22.4% on your bag. If you’re ever in Europe, there’s no better time to get your hands on that Hermès Birkin bag you’ve been coveting. Please saving the tax dollar could make a big difference as well.
The price you pay for your tote is going to depend on the material, too. Some of the more exotic Birkins are made using crocodile and they typically cost anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000. How much is a birkin bag cost in retail? The ultra-rare Birkin (made from the Himalayan crocodile skin material) is by far the most expensive of the Birkin bags range, and one bag could cost nearly $400,000. If you’re looking for a higher price-tig (but not THAT high), check out the Birkin cargo– which will typically run you a cool $40,000 in the resale market.
Some Hermès Birkin bag cost options come at a high price because it could be made of gold hardware or white gold, too. Crocodile is arguably the more expensive option.
The most expensive Birkin bag price tag that was sold was at $380,000. This was in Hong Kong. Not surprising that it was none other than the Himalayan Birkin bag, and it was sold for such a hefty price because of the albino-white crocodile skin material it was crafted from.
With its exclusivity, luxurious material, and craftsmanship, no wonder Hermes Birkin bags have created a resale market that’s just as lucrative as the original. If you’re eager to get your hands on a this purse, but wonder how much the Birkin bag price is and want to bypass the waitlist, try your luck in the resale market. Owning a pre-owned item is still a bragging right and an investment in a classic. As they say, a classic never goes out of style.
Photos courtesy of official websites of hermes, therealreal, fashionfile, sothebys, Vogue, etc.
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