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Hermes Birkin Clochette & Tirette Noir Matte Alligator Chèvre Lined
The edit · Designer Bags
A pre-owned Hermès Birkin bag. The originals are still out there, and they hold up better than anything new. A bag from this era was designed to be carried, not photographed, and it shows in the hardware and the stitching.
Two centuries of saddle stitching.
Founded in 1837 in Paris as a harness maker for the carriage trade. The house moved into leather goods and silk, and its Birkin and Kelly bags became the most famous handbags in the world.
Hermes holds value like almost nothing else in fashion. A well-kept vintage Birkin or Kelly is essentially a currency, and even the silk carres appreciate when the design is right.
Why it's called that
Hermès Birkin
In 1983 the actress Jane Birkin sat next to Hermès chief Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight and told him she could not find a weekend bag she liked. He sketched it on an airsickness bag. The Birkin followed.
What to look for
Blind stamps, date stamps and the maker's mark inside the bag. Hand-stitched seams with a slight saddle-stitch slant are the tell of the real thing.
Look at the corners, hardware and lining. Real bags age at the stress points first, so a worn corner is often a good sign, not a flaw.
How to wear it
Wear it high and tight under the arm, the way the strap length was intended. Let a loud bag do the talking against plain tailoring.
Asking price
$275
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