Whilst a decade of “It” bags have the come and gone with Baguettes, Paddingtons, Indys, Spys,and Stams, there remains a few historic handbags which will be forever in fashion. Two of which belong to the luxury label Hermès, with their world famous and exclusive Birkin and Kelly bags.
Hermès Birkin Bag
The Hermès Birkin is one of the most iconic handbags of all time. This bag is so loved by pop-star and fledgling fashion designer Victoria Beckham that she is reputed to own over a 100 of them, with a total value of approximately £1.5 million.
Created in 1984, the Hermès Birkin is in a class of its own, and is on the wish list of many a rich and famous fashionista. With a minimum price tag of around £3,500 owning a Birkin is the ultimate accessories status symbol for a woman who wants to say, “hey look, I’ve made it!” Prices for custom made Birkin bags in exotic animal skins can reach anything up to around £35,000. The fact that most Birkin owners have had to wait around 2 years for the privileged of owning one adds to the bag’s exclusivity.
Reputedly named after the popular '70s singer Jane Birkin, the Hermès Birkin is one of the few purses that actually holds or increases in value.
Each Birkin has a unique identification code hand-made by skilled craftsmen, and takes 2 days to make. Only the finest leather and skins are used in its manufacture and the bag's metal work is plated in untarnishable gold or palladium. Should a Birkin require maintenance at a later date, there is even a Birkin bag hospital in Paris, according to the Daily Mail's "How to Bag a Birkin," April 28, 2008.
Hermès Kelly Bag
The clue is in its name. The Hermès Kelly Bag takes its name from movie star Grace Kelly, the former Princess Grace of Monaco. Along with its sister the Birkin, the Kelly bag enjoys a cult status.
The handbag first appeared in the 1930s but was thrust into the fashion limelight in 1956, when Princess Grace used a black crocodile Hermès bags to shield her pregnant stomach from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Photographs of her hiding her tummy with the now-famous bag, were beamed all over the world, and made it onto the cover of Life magazine.
Given her status as a fashion maven, Grace Kelly's Hermès bag fast became a sought-after symbol of elegance and was consequently renamed after her by the high-fashion house Hermès. Today the Hermès Kelly bag is loved by many a modern day movie star, along with other A-list celebrities such as Victoria Beckham.
Prices for a modern day Kelly begin from approximately £20,000 but the bag has has a waiting list of around 3 years. Each bag takes around 18 hours to produce and offers a classic 2-straped trapezium-shaped frame with 4 studs acting as feet, so the bag can easily be placed on the ground. The Kelly comes in 5 different sizes and its most distinctive feature is the highly distinguishable metal-link clasp, which is fasted with a padlock.
The Hermès Reputation
Hermès bags as renown for their outstanding quality and workmanship. The high-fashion house's purses are painstakingly produced to the highest of standards both outside and in. As 2 of the most iconic designer handbags in the world, the Birkin and Kelly's appeal is timeless, and their classic lines make them instantly recognizable to any handbag junky.
Gill Hart - Gill Hart is a fashion and image professional who specializes in women's fashion over 50.
