February 2023

The history of the Birkin bag is one filled with legend and happenstance. Before the Birkin bag, Hermes was already well-established as a house of luxury leather goods, catering to their elite clients’ needs. Fashion history changed on a late-night flight from Paris to London. The details differ in the many tellings of the tale. Handbag legend says that in 1983, a serendipitous upgrade placed Jane Birkin in first class, next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then the artistic director and CEO of Hermès. She was carrying her signature wicker basket to hold her personal essentials.