The Hermès Birkin bag has lengthy been synonymous with exclusivity, however in keeping with inventive director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, its shortage isn’t a part of a deliberate advertising technique. In a “60 Minutes” profile aired on Monday, Dumas attributed the scarcity to the model’s dedication to craftsmanship.
“No matter we’ve got, we placed on the shelf, and it goes,” he stated, emphasizing that the restricted provide is a consequence of Hermès’ meticulous manufacturing course of.
The luggage begin at round $10,000 at retail, with costs various considerably based mostly on supplies and measurement. On the resale market, nonetheless, costs can skyrocket. As WWD not too long ago reported, a white Himalaya Birkin with diamond-encrusted {hardware} bought for over $450,000 at Sotheby’s in 2022, breaking data for the most costly Birkin ever auctioned.
Jane Birkin depicted along with her authentic Birkin bag.
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Dumas provided a candid response when reporter Sharyn Alfonsi requested how somebody might get their fingers on the coveted bag. “It’s a must to stroll into an Hermès retailer, and uh — you need to be affected person,” he stated.
“However the world we reside in, proper?” Alfonsi stated. “ that if anyone has the funds and so they need the bag, they need the bag now.” Dumas responded: “Sure. Um, I’ve kids too. And I’ve wishes too. However I’m saying it’s a protracted course of. You go to a retailer. You get an appointment. You meet a salesman. You speak about what you need. It’s not accessible. You’ll have to attend. They’ll come again to you. It takes a very long time. Finally, it’s gonna occur.”
When requested if Hermès is creating “synthetic shortage to pump up demand” for the Birkin, he responded: “It makes me smile that that is — a diabolical — advertising thought that may solely come out of individuals obsessive about advertising. However we don’t have a advertising division at Hermès. So to begin with, after I heard that, I used to be like, ‘What? Oh. OK, I get it. Yeah, properly, no.’ No matter we’ve got, we placed on the shelf, and it goes.”
In contrast to luxurious manufacturers that depend on scaling manufacturing to fulfill demand, Hermès is certain by its artisanal roots, he stated. Every Birkin is hand made by a single artisan over days, generally weeks. From the model’s signature saddle stitching to supplies sourcing, Dumas stated the element displays a dedication to custom. “We’re about craft, we’re not machines,” Dumas stated. “And we’re not compromising on the standard of the best way we make the luggage.”
Throughout the “60 Minutes” phase, Hermès provided a uncommon glimpse inside one among its leather-based items factories, the place the intricate means of handcrafting every bag was demonstrated. A single artisan showcased the model’s iconic saddle sew, which requires precision and endurance. Relying on the complexity and supplies, it may take an artisan a number of weeks, generally months, to supply only one Birkin bag.
The restrained method has left Hermès going through one of many challenges in luxurious retail: demand that far outpaces provide. As WWD’s Lily Templeton reported earlier this 12 months, Hermès Worldwide’s gross sales within the first quarter of 2024 rose 23 % to three.38 billion euros, pushed largely by its leather-based items division, which incorporates the Birkin and Kelly luggage.
With including new leather-working amenities and coaching roughly 400 artisans yearly, it’s unlikely the hole between manufacturing and demand will shut anytime quickly. “You can not go quick if you wish to go far,” Dumas stated throughout his “60 Minutes” interview.
Hermès opened its twenty third leather-based items manufacturing unit in France earlier this 12 months. In its most up-to-date quarterly earnings, leather-based items gross sales accounted for greater than half of the corporate’s complete income.
Including to Hermès’ mystique is its signature orange branding, a element born out of necessity throughout World Battle II. Shortages of conventional packaging supplies led Hermès to undertake orange bins — a “joyful accident,” he stated, that has since turn out to be one of the vital recognizable logos in luxurious.