Here's The Real Difference Between The Kelly And The Birkin Bag

The Birkin bag was introduced to the world in 1983 after Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated on a flight next to Jane Birkin, a prominent English actor at the time, according to Business Insider. Birkin's things had just fallen out of her straw purse from the overhead compartment when she expressed discontent for the bags on the market. Dumas and Birkin then spent the remainder of their flight sketching ideas for a new leather purse. A year later, the Birkin bag was born. 

Since then, Hermès has produced a limited quantity of Birkins, which has increased not only the value of the purses — a 2017 study showed a price increase of 500% in the last 35 years — but also the demand.

The price of a Birkin usually ranges from $11,000 to $300,000 depending on the type of material (calf, alligator, or ostrich skin) used and the size. The most expensive Birkin bag, which was inspired by the snowcapped Himalayas and featured 18k white gold and diamond hardware, sold for or £236,750 GDP or $325,000 USD at a Christies auction in London, according to Christies. 

Currently, a Birkin bag comes in three available sizes: 25 cm, 30 cm, and 35 cm, per Celebre Magazine. Each handmade purse features two short handles at the top that allows one to carry it in the crook of their arm. The bag is also often rocked undone, like an immensely expensive tote.