Viral Video Shows What It Takes To Buy A Million-Dollar Birkin Bag, Plus What It Actually Takes

"It's not a bag, it's a Birkin," said Samantha Jones, played by Sara Jessica Parker, in Sex and the City. To understand what it truly means, one has to buy a Birkin bag, which not only requires a lot of money but a wait of months, or even years.

What do you do when you want to purchase a handbag? For most of us, we either place an order on the website (or an e-commerce platform) or walk into a store, see what we like, and pay for it. Viola! The bag collection gets an upgrade.

But this process is different if you want to purchase a luxurious Birkin bag. You can't just step into a Hermes store, say what you need, and get it that day. In fact, you might have to wait for months, even years, to get your hands on a handcrafted piece that you have been eyeing and ready to blow up your savings for.

A viral video showed how much effort it takes to buy a Birkin.

What it takes to get a Birkin bag pic.twitter.com/qJTy494nPd

— TaraBull (@TaraBull) December 15, 2025

How To Buy A Birkin Bag

Birkin bags are known for their exclusivity. But that's not the only reason why each piece is so expensive. In fact, in many cases, an auctioned item might come with a jaw-dropping price tag, which might be 10 or 100 times the original price.

In an interview with Women's Wear Daily, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Artistic Director of Hermes, shared a short guide (with a long waiting period) to buy an exclusive Birkin bag from a boutique. "You have to walk into a Hermes store, and uh - you have to be patient," he said in the 2024 interview.

To get your hands on a coveted Birkin bag,

• You go to a store.
• You get an appointment.
• You meet a salesperson and build a relationship with them.
• You talk to them about what you want
• It's not available, so you will have to wait
• The salesperson will come back to you

You will have to wait, but it will be worth it when you get your hands on the item you have been desiring for so long.

How Do You Build A Relationship With A Salesperson

Birkin bags, for which the retail price starts at $10,000 (Rs 9,00,000), are known for their exclusivity. But that's not the only reason why each piece is so expensive. In fact, in many cases, an auctioned item might come with a jaw-dropping price tag, which might be 10 or 100 times the original price.

A Himalaya Birkin, studded with diamonds, was sold for $450,000 (Rs 4 crore) at Sotheby's in 2022. It was the most expensive Birkin bag ever auctioned, until July 2025, when Jane Birkin's OG prototype was sold for $10 million (Rs 90 crore). 

It added that a sales rep does not earn any commission by selling Birkin bags, but they do make money by selling other priced possessions in the store. If you make multiple purchases and show that you are loyal to them, you might get an invite to purchase a quota Hermes bag - a Birkin or a Kelly.

According to Madison Avenue Couture, a US-based reseller of collectable ultra-luxury handbags, 

• You have to dress well when visiting a Hermes boutique, probably wearing clothing of the same brand
• Showcase your knowledge and passion for the line, especially a Birkin bag (because that is what you are there to buy)
• Establish a purchase history

This is going to take some time and multiple purchases, but you will get your bag.

A Himalaya Birkin, studded with diamonds, sold for $450,000 (Rs 4 crore) at Sotheby's in 2022. Photo: Madison Avenue Couture

Buying A Birkin Bag: Is Scarcity A Marketing Gimmick Or A Challenge

Pierre-Alexis Dumas, 6th generation member of the founding family, told the WWD, "It makes me smile that this is - a diabolical - marketing idea that can only come out of people obsessed with marketing. But we don't have a marketing department at Hermes."

He shared that whatever they put on the shelves of the boutiques goes away. While most luxury or accessory brands scale up manufacturing to meet the demands, Hermes claims to stay rooted in its craft. Dumas further shared that each Birkin bag is handcrafted, without using machines. 

"We are about craft, not machines. We are not compromising on the quality of the way we make the bags," he added.

A single bag of Birkin takes weeks to create, and an artisan works on the brand's signature saddle stitch, where each weave has to be precise. Depending on the material and complexity of the design, it can take even months to produce a bag.

According to Dumas, the restrained approach is actually a challenge for Hermes because the demand surpasses the supply. It is just too good to be true.

However, the very fabric of developing a relationship with a salesperson by showing up and purchasing other Hermes items to buy a quota bag points towards gatekeeping just to maintain the hype of exclusivity. Whatever the reason may be, Birkin and Kelly bags continue to appeal to rich people and remain a far-fetched luxury for others.

Many influencers and TikTok users have posted videos of the arduous process of purchasing a Birkin bag. And it's not a joke. The process will test your patience and make you feel poor, despite your account being loaded with money.

A single bag of Birkin takes weeks to create, and an artisan works on the brand's signature saddle stitch, where each weave has to be precise. Photo: Sotheby's

Hermes Bags 101

Before you enter a Hermes boutique, you should know about the bag range. The brand produces more than 80 styles of bags, including Lindy, Kelly, Birkin, Evelyne, Bolide, and Constance.

While you can buy many of these styles from a boutique, for a true Hermes fan, their wishlist usually includes high-end Birkin, Kelly, and Constance bags - the Holy Trinity. Collectors spend thousands of dollars, if not millions, to get into the quota for purchasing a Birkin or Kelly bag. 

In fact, Madison Avenue Couture says that Hermes does not allow a person to purchase two quota bags in a calendar year. Hence, if you have bought a Kelly or Birkin in January, you will have to wait for a few months to purchase another. However, you can get a Constance bag quite easily in the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada, France, China, Japan, and Canada.

Purchasing a Birkin is less about how much money you have, but it is more about the display of the passion you have for the brand. Much like Thor's hammer from the Marvel Universe, you have to be worthy to own a Birkin or Kelly bag from Hermes.

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