The Allure of the Birkin

It is one of the most enduring must-have items in fashion history. For the last thirty years, the Birkin Bag, inspired by model Jane Birkin, has been at the top of most fashionista's wishlists.

Averaging $60,000 each, the Birkin by Hermès, is both one of the most coveted and most difficult to purchase bags on the planet, with waitlists that can be anywhere from two to four years long.

NPR's podcast Planet Money, a show dedicated to explaining different aspects of the global economy to average listeners, recently published a podcast about the allure of the Birkin, exploring how Hermès' marketing team made the bag such an enduring item in an industry that constantly cycles through trends and figuring out just how one manages to buy one of these bags.

The podcast moves from the cultural effects of the Birkin on women in and around the fashion industry to examining Hermès' claim that there are so few Birkins in existence because of the intense amount of craftsmanship required for each of them (they're completely hand-sewn).

For more details, check out the podcast here.

Featured image via.

Have you ever experienced the allure of the Birkin Bag? And has the Hermès marketing worked on you? Let us know in the comments below!