Jane Birkin, the Birkin Bag, and How to Channel Her Style on a Budget

Fri, 04/22/2011 - 9:02PM by allisonmdans 0 Comments - 30,248 Views

In The News

Recently, the news was released that the wait-list for a Birkin bag is no more. You don't need to name drop (we're looking at you, Samantha Jones) to get one in less than six years. All you need now is 5,000 dollars (rock bottom, that is) to get your own Birkin. Though this makes the bag slightly (very, very slightly) more accessible, it is still one of fashion's most storied and sought-after pieces. So, before I explain how to channel Jane Birkin, I suppose I should explain why you'd want to.

Jane's Addiction (or, more accurately, my addiction to Jane)

Jane Birkin is a fashion icon whose name, thanks to her eponymous Hermès Birkin, is synonymous with luxury, elitism, and exclusivity. The bags range in price from 5,000-150,000 (with Victoria Beckham apparently owning over 2 million dollars worth of Birkins). But contrary to the associations Jane has with this iconic fashion accessory, she herself epitomized the classic, easy style and grace of the artist/muse/hippie role she has filled throughout her life. She is the kind of woman who pairs vintage dresses with designer pieces (think Olivia Palermo without the sense of entitlement or air of superiority). She'd walk around with a Chanel bag and fresh-picked flowers in her hair... barefoot. So how did she come to inspire the most famous bag in history? Well, allow me to explain.

(Here are a few of Beckham's infamous Birkins)

Becoming Jane (Jane Austen Biopic Reference Intended)

Jane was born in London to an actress mother and a Royal Navy lieutenant-commander. She became a model and actress in the 1960s, meeting her future husband and musical collaborator, Serge Gainsbourg (their daugher is musician, muse, and actress - genetic lottery winner, anyone? - Charlotte Gainsbourg), in the film Slogan, performing with him on the film's theme song, "La chanson de slogan"—the first of many collaborations between the two. She continued to work in film and music to great success for the next few decades.

The Birkin Begins

It was not until 1984 that the Birkin came to be. On an auspicious flight from Paris to London, Jane was unknowingly seated next to the chairman of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas. As the story goes, Birkin pulled her Hermès datebook out of her bag and spilled the contents of it all over the floor. She started talking to her seatmate about how difficult it had been to find a bag that was both stylish and practical, keeping all her belongings in place. Soon after, Dumas created a black supple leather bag for her,based on an 1892 design. Jane began to use the bag for herself, but ironically enough did not stay loyal to it for long. Despite her seditious disassociation from the bag named after her, it has gone on to make a name for itself (pun intended).

Here's a photo of Jane Birkin's personalized Birkin. She's been quoted as saying bags should look worn, personal, tossed around a bit.

Birkin: Up Close and Personal

Birkins can be customized in nearly endless ways. They come in a range of sizes and can be made to order with different hides (ostrich, crocodile, lizard), color (pink, red, brown, baby blue, navy blue, orange, white, black, and golden tan), and hardware fixtures. Interestingly, the smaller the scales, the more costly the bag. If you happen to have some spare change lying around and your bedazzled Blackberry just isn't enough, you can get your Birkin encrusted with diamonds. Each bag is lined with goat-skin, and color matches the exterior. The bag has a lock and keys. The keys are enclosed in a leather lanyard known as a clochette, carried by looping through a handle. Locks and keys are coded with the batch-numbers in which they were made. The metallic hardware (the lock, keys, buckle hardware, and base studs) are plated with gold or palladium to prevent tarnishing. Hardware is updated regularly to maintain the top quality available in the industry at time of production. The metal lock may be covered with leather as a custom option (here again, you can get your bling on if you like). You can even send you Birkin for a spa day, as Hermès offers a reconditioning for overly used bags. The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans. Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity. Despite the fact that the Birkin does not feature a single logo, it is one of the most distinctive bags in the world. I myself have started counted the different Birkins I've seen Victoria Beckham carrying. So far, I'm up to four. It is highly coveted and, for several years, was reputed for having a waiting list of up to 6 years – the longest wait for any bag in history. In April 2010, Hermès announced that the waiting list would no longer exist, implying that it is potentially available to all, making the dreams of many unreasonably wealthy, but unknown women (and perhaps a few men - hey, Johnny Weir has a Birkin) come true.

Here are a few different versions of the bag

And Johnny Weir with his...

Becoming Jane (Part Two)

This time, "Becoming Jane" refers to how we modern day fashion girls, unceasingly seeking the perfect combination of uptown and downtown, boho and traditional, can use Jane Birkin as inspiration to achieve that goal. As I mentioned earlier, Jane's aesthetic was a combination of studied elegance and spontaneous serendipity. It's mixing classic with trendy. So, classic shapes with trendy patterns, or vice versa. This season, a maxi-dress with a cropped leather jacket, gladiator sandals, and a Chanel shoulder bag would be my perfect definition of that. Here's an outfit I think would make Jane proud (and maybe even ask you where you got it).

The Outfit

What actually inspired this whole post (other than my recent obsession with all things Birkin) was my discovery of this cheeky canvas Birkin-print tote. Originally, I thought it was tacky. Then I decided it's more like a cute way to advertise your love for fashion without going out and buying a fake Louis Vuitton or something. Like the real thing, it comes in a variety of colors... unfortunately, I don't think the diamonds are an option. You could DIY some rhinestones, though (just kidding - don't go there). Sidenote: I learned today that the brand that created this bag is being sued for copyright infringement... woops.Though I really don't think they're filching the Birkin's target demographic.

(Bag, Thursday Friday, $45.00)

This sweet striped cotton dress has all the slouchy appeal of a Parisian femme en biciclette (that's girl on a bicycle...I think) and is incredibly versatile. A sequined vest and ankle boots, neutral wedges and a fedora, a studded belt and statement cuffs - there are a thousand different ways to wear this dress. And as the jet-setter she is, I think a well-edited wardrobe is something Ms. Birkin would certainly appreciate.