With every design comes an idea and with every idea comes a story. The iconic Birkin bag was made for a simple reason. Hermes, established in 1837 was known for making exquisite harnesses and bridles for horse drawn carriages. Eventually moving on, using their leather making expertise to craft the world’s most sought after bag, the Birkin.
The story goes that the actress Jane Birkin was on a flight to London when she was seated by a man whom she did not know. While trying to get into her seat she managed to spill the contents of her handbag onto the floor. The man next to her made a simple statement, saying “You need a bag with pockets” to which Jane replied “If Hermes made a bag with pockets I’d buy one”. In a twist of fate, the man sitting next to her was none other than Jean-Louis Dumas, the chief executive of Hermes. Dumas told Jane that he would design her a bag with pockets and so the creation began with a simple sketch on a airplane sick-bag. Jane’s only request was that it be bigger than the Kelly bag (A bag already in production at Hermes, named after Grace Kelly) and smaller than her suitcase. This simple conversation between two unsuspecting strangers resulted in the creation illusive item in fashion.
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