The large highly priced tote was created and named after the English born actress and singer Jane Birkin who spent many years in France. On a flight she shared with the CEO of Hermes, Jean Louis Dumas from Paris to London, she complained about her struggle to find a functional leather bag suitable for the weekend and how she opted for her straw basket. With this in mind, Dumas took three years to design a bag that reflected Jane’s taste and style.

This encounter spurred the birth of the iconic Birkin Bag.

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Jane Birkin carrying her straw basket.

The Birkin bag is one of the world’s most exclusive luxury items and is handmade in France by expert artisans. It takes an average of 48 hours to create a single Birkin bag and they are priced between ranges of $9,000 to $150,000 depending on its size, colour and the materials used. Its locks and keys are number-coded and the craftsman’s marks and the year of manufacture are stamped in a square underside of the right belt. The metal hardware on the bag are plated with gold or palladium to prevent tarnishing. Hermes offers a spa treatment for heavily used Birkin bags in need of reconditioning. These iconic bag is reputed to have a waiting list of up to six years, they are stand as a sign of social class and status.

Here are a few pictures of Hermes finest on the arms of some of the celebrities out to make a statement.....click here to view pictures http://www.helenamag.com/2015/10/23/the-world-most-expensive-handbag-the-birkin/