Even if you have all the money in the world, there is one thing you still might not be able to buy. A Birkin.
Carried by celebrities, whispered about in luxury circles, and treated as a badge of arrival, the Hermès Birkin bag is not just expensive. It is deliberately elusive.
Despite appearances, the Birkin is not truly sold out. Instead, Hermès follows a sales approach that defies conventional retail logic. There is no online checkout, no public waiting list, and no clear timeline. Walking into a Hermès store does not guarantee access either. In most cases, customers are expected to book appointments in advance. Even then, they can only express interest, not demand a bag.
Sales associates may take down details, but whether a customer is ever offered a Birkin depends on multiple factors. First-time buyers almost never receive one. Invitations are typically extended to select VIP clients, often after years of consistent spending across Hermès categories. Purchase history, relationship with the brand, and perceived fit with its values all play a role.
There is also no assurance. A client may wait indefinitely without ever being offered the bag they desire.
By keeping supply intentionally low while demand continues to soar, Hermès protects the Birkin’s mystique. Fashion analysts point out that scarcity itself becomes part of the product. When something is hard to obtain, it feels more valuable. In the luxury world, rarity is not a side effect, it is the strategy.
Hermès is not alone. Chanel has long limited purchases of its Classic Flap handbags, reportedly allowing customers to buy only a small number per year even during peak demand. Similarly, Ferrari has openly confirmed that it keeps production below market demand to preserve exclusivity among car enthusiasts.
The Birkin’s story, however, adds another layer to its appeal.
The bag was born not in a boardroom, but on a flight in the early 1980s. Actor and singer Jane Birkin was seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then CEO of Hermès, when her belongings spilled into the aisle. Dumas remarked that she needed a bag with proper pockets. Birkin replied that Hermès did not make practical handbags. Dumas famously smiled and said, “I am Hermès.”
Using an aeroplane sickness bag, Birkin sketched out what she wanted: a functional, everyday handbag. Months later, Hermès presented her with a prototype. She agreed to lend her name to the design, and fashion history was made.
Over time, the Birkin evolved into one of the most recognisable status symbols in luxury. From record-breaking auction prices to celebrity closets, it has come to represent far more than craftsmanship or leather.
Today, the question remains. When brands decide who gets to buy, is luxury really about the product, or about being allowed in?
