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| Birking Himalaya bag |
Christie’s has just sold a Hermès Birkin bag for £155,000 will come as a vulgar surprise to those who think spending more than £19.99 on a single fashion item is completely cuckoo. To the outsider, fashion’s built-in obsolescence makes the idea of investing in anything seem misplaced since, thanks to its six-month renewal cycle, no sooner is your purchase “in” than it is “out” again. But if a fool and her money are soon parted, the adage doesn’t apply to Hermès.
Like art, vintage cars and fine jewellery, a Hermès bag could turn out to be a wise investment.
That the blue crocodile Birkin, embellished with white gold and diamonds, attracted a worldwide bidding frenzy will come as no surprise to any seasoned fashion-watcher. In the pantheon of designer handbags, nothing tops the desirability of Hermès, the luxury status of which has been unassailable ever since Grace Kelly popularised the brand in the 1950s. While the patronage of Jane Birkin, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham – once said to have owned more than 100 Birkins – has ensured demand remains buoyant, Hermès’s true covetability lies in its craftsmanship. Each bag is made by a single, highly skilled artisan, and takes upwards of 18 hours to complete. Only the most expensive skins and leathers are ever used.
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