In 2016, the luxury market faced global instability, Brexit, and other variables that contributed to many designers seeing a contraction in their sales. While the market is starting to slowly recover in 2017, the gap is still widening between winners and losers. A perennial winner, Hermès, and their beloved Birkin handbag continue to define the field of luxury. With their infamous waiting list, limited production and newsworthy policies, obtaining a Birkin from the one hundred and eighty-year-old French fashion luxury goods manufacturer is as challenging as ever. For first time purchasers and collectors alike, securing the elusive Birkin in one’s desired color, hardware, and skin is what drives the auction market to deliver strong results year to year and makes now the time to invest in the most talked about handbag on the planet. Find five reasons below that will assist in your decision to buy a Birkin Handbag.
1. Limited Production
Hermès has long been known for their finely crafted handmade bags. Constructed by a single artisan in one of the Hermès ateliers, a Birkin requires 48 hours to create, which by definition deems each and every Birkin custom made. With limited production, and even greater limitations on special order handbags, it is unlikely that two collections will ever be exactly alike, delivering importance and appreciation to privileged and savvy owners.
2. Demand
Both at retail and auction, demand for the 25cm, 30cm, 35cm and 40cm Birkin handbags remain brisk, and with over 50 shades of blue alone, ardent collectors looking to acquire their perfect hue continue to deepen demand. Should color not be of importance, simply locating a Birkin available for purchase on any given day at any one of the Hermès boutiques around the world is next to impossible. For the fortunate few who do secure the beloved Birkin, walking out the door does not depreciate, and may in fact appreciate the handbag’s value, unlike others in the category of luxury.
3. Handbags Retire, Too
While the Birkin has been crafted in the same meticulous manner since the original was designed for Jane Birkin in 1984, acquiring a particular color or hide adds value as it may no longer be offered; and with Birkins, retirement often equals an escalation in value and interest.
4. Category Leader
If a designer is lucky, over a period of seasons, they may deliver an “it” bag, the handbag of the moment that will sell out both in-store and online. However, “it” bags do not always equal continuing value as buyers often move on to the current trend. Hermès has never fallen victim to trends, with their equally admired Kelly bag, designed in the 1930’s and re-named for Grace Kelly in the 1950’s, they have remained at the pinnacle of the luxury field by consistently delivering the finest made handbags in the world and adhering to their venerable designs.
5. Volatility
Thirty years after Jane Birkin received her eponymous bag from the late Hermès Chairman Jean-Louis Dumas, interest and demand continues to be robust. Hundreds of stories are written every year paying homage to the hand-stitched and much coveted handbag, and with the requisite amount of movie stars and aristocrats photographed carrying a Birkin on their arm, there is no reason to foresee a slowdown anytime soon.