Hermès, Birkin, 2017

The design idea for the Birkin Bag came about during a flight in 1983. Louis Dumas, then head of the Hermès family business, met the British actress Jane Birkin during a trip, who was using a straw bag as a handbag. When asked why her bag was made of raffia, the actress replied that the usual handbags were too small. Louis Dumas immediately began sketching a trapezoidal bag.

The online portal Welt compared the price development of Birkin bags with that of US stocks and gold with an astonishing result. Precious handbags outperform traditional investments in terms of return. The annual increase in the value of Birkin bags is 5% higher than that of shares.

A Hermès bag is not just available in the shop around the corner. The producer determines who is allowed to purchase one of the coveted handbags in the first place. Production is deliberately limited. Similar to a Rolex watch, buyers have to put up with waiting periods of several years. To avoid these waiting periods, customers switch to the secondary market. Even bags with signs of wear after several years of use still fetch prices of over 10,000 euros. This underlines the enormous scarcity and high demand.

Rare pieces from limited editions are often traded for six-figure sums at auctions. The Birkin Bag with the model name Himalaya was auctioned at Christie's in Hong Kong for the record price of 200,198 US dollars. The handbag is made of matt white Niloticus crocodile leather and has an 18-carat gold handle.