This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We still can’t afford any of it. Learn more.
You cannot simply walk into Hermès and buy a Birkin. You can walk in. You can want one. You can have the money in your hand. None of this guarantees anything.
So why does a leather bag cost as much as a used car, and why is it so hard to give them that money? We investigated, using only public information and very little self-control.
The Evidence
Exhibit A: The Price
Birkin 25 in Togo leather, US retail, 2026 $13,500
After Hermès raised US prices in January 2026, a Birkin 25 in Togo leather costs $13,500, and a Birkin 30 costs $14,900. When the bag launched in 1984, it cost about $2,000.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: Up roughly 575% since 1984. Your salary would like a word.
Exhibit B: The Hours
One artisan, one bag At least 18 hours
Each Birkin is made start to finish by a single artisan, who trains for years before making one alone. The saddle stitch uses two needles passing through every hole from opposite sides, and the edges are finished with beeswax.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: Eighteen hours of one person's undivided attention. More than most marriages get.
Exhibit C: The Waitlist That Isn't
Cavalleri v. Hermès, filed 2024 On appeal
Birkins aren’t sold online or displayed in stores. A 2024 lawsuit alleged they’re offered only to shoppers who first buy enough scarves, jewelry and home goods. A judge dismissed it in 2025, saying rewarding big spenders isn’t by itself illegal. As of mid-2026 it was on appeal.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: Technically, you're not buying a bag. You're auditioning for one.
Exhibit D: The Origin Story
Jane Birkin meets Jean-Louis Dumas Priceless, then $10.1 million
On a flight to London, Jane Birkin’s things spilled everywhere. Hermès boss Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to her, and she sketched her ideal roomy bag on an airsickness bag. Hermès made it in 1984. Her original sold at Sotheby’s in 2025 for about $10.1 million.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: The most profitable airsickness bag in history.
Exhibit E: The Resale Math
Resale premium, Bernstein tracker, late 2025 About 1.4x retail
In 2022, Birkins and Kellys resold for about 2.2 times retail. By late 2025 that had cooled to about 1.4 times. So it still beats the price tag, just not by as much, and still not the stock market over a decade.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: An investment, technically. A handbag, emotionally.
The Verdict
So why is the Birkin so expensive? Because it’s beautifully made, by hand, slowly. Because it’s scarce on purpose. And because a lot of people are willing to buy a great many scarves for the chance to pay for it.
In other words, the price isn’t the point. The waiting is the point. Necessity: 0%. Desire: off the charts.
Prices and details as reported by the sources linked here, and subject to change. Photos courtesy of The RealReal and NBC. Sources: PurseBop · The RealReal · The Fashion Law · Fortune on the lawsuit · NBC Washington · Fortune on resale
