Admit it, you too dream of owning a Hermès Birkin bag at least once in your life.

The Hermès Birkin bag is one of the most renowned handbags of all time and has become an icon over the years. Here’s its very special story and the characteristics that make it unique and highly sought after.

The iconic Birkin was born from an encounter on a Paris-London flight between Jane Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas, president of the Hermès house from 1978 to 2006. As the young woman was overwhelmed with belongings, she dropped her Hermès agenda on the floor. Her neighbor advised her to keep her personal items in closed pockets. "I replied, 'If only Hermès had pockets,' and he replied, 'I am Mr. Hermès, and I will put pockets in for you,'" she told L'Officiel in 2010.

The duo then began discussing creating the young actress's dream bag—a practical and elegant model for carrying her essential items as a young mother.

Unbeknownst to her, Jane Birkin had created an iconic bag whose success endures. "He made it for me and asked if he could market it in my name. I was very flattered and said yes," she told Konbini in 2019.

The Hermès bag is the first "it-bag" to bear the name of a celebrity and be created by the very personality it’s named after. Each piece is unique, handcrafted, and signed by the same artisan.

Its flared shape, two pieces of leather sewn together, flap, and two rigid handles make it easily recognizable. It is available in dozens of colors and different materials, from smooth leather to suede, including crocodile, velvet, and ostrich. There are five different sizes: 25 cm, 30 cm, 35 cm, 40 cm, and 45 cm.

This accessory has enjoyed great success and has become an icon of the Hermès house, just like the silk scarf and the Kelly bag.

All the famous fashionistas adore this coveted accessory, whether they are models, fashion designers, or influencers... The Birkin is worn on the wrists of Kate Moss, Georgina Gio, Cardi B, and Jennifer Lopez, among others.

Victoria Beckham, a singer and fashion designer, owns more than 100 Birkin bags in her personal collection.

In 2013, rapper Kanye West gifted his then-wife Kim Kardashian a personalized Birkin. On the front of the bag, no less than a drawing by painter George Condo was featured.

Of rare quality, the Hermès Birkin bag is highly sought after and almost unattainable. This partly explains the legend.

To acquire one, patience is key. In an episode of the series Sex and the City, when Samantha admires a Birkin, the Hermès salesperson reminds her that she must be placed on a waiting list, and it will take five years to obtain one. "For a bag?" exclaims Samantha. "It’s not a bag; it’s a Birkin," the salesperson asserts.

To return to reality, it is necessary to join a waiting list to purchase a Birkin. This makes perfect sense when you consider that the bag is not produced in large quantities and is highly sought after.

At first glance, this might seem like a drawback, but it’s important to know that a Birkin is a financial investment, as this accessory constantly increases in value. And when we talk about the Birkin, we think of famous and stylish women who own it.

It's worth noting that the Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Birkin 30 is the most expensive Birkin bag in the world, sold for $380,000 at a Christie’s auction in 2011. This model is made of crocodile leather and adorned with diamonds.