14 DAY TRIAL // There are several good reasons for which Victoria Beckham is known as Posh and, clearly, not having any fashion sense at all or being willing to settle for less are not amongst them. Mrs. Beckham always dresses impeccably, albeit sometimes inappropriately for the occasion, fashion insiders say, but that’s not where the key of her success is to be found. It’s the accessories that make Posh such a fashionista – and, of them, the Hermes Birkin bags that the star loves so much are probably the ones that stand out the most.
As we reported a while back, and as fans must already know, Victoria is a huge Birkin fan. In fact, she loves these totes so much that she somehow even managed to convince David to buy her one of the three “Silver Himalayan” Birkin bags available in the world, estimated at a whopping £80,000. According to The Big Money, Mrs. Beckham must have at least 100 such pieces in her wardrobe, which would mean that, had she paid for all of them (speaking hypothetically, of course, since Birkin probably offers the bags to her for free, some say), the entire collection is worth an amazing £1.5 million.
The deal with the Birkin bags, it is being said, is that they’re extremely rare, therefore eye-watering expensive. A basic model – say, in a color that does not stand out for anything, like black or brown – can sell for a starting price of £2,700, but the models that also bring a dash of trendiness (like bags in bright pink or lime green) or come studded with diamonds, such as the aforementioned “Silver Himalaya” can move for amounts as high as £80,000, as noted earlier.
To get one such Birkin bag, women have to wait for a maximum of three years, with a full waiting list, so we can all imagine just the kind of favors that Posh is being made, with her wardrobe including an estimated 100 pieces. Putting people on a waiting list is not, the manufacturers insist, something that has to do with the prestige of the brand or its popularity, as some have speculated in the past, but rather with the impressive amount of time it takes to make this one-of-a-kind tote.
“If someone is looking for a classic Birkin bag – in a regular leather, color and size – the lead time is significantly lower. It is not and has never been, Hermes’ intention to create an artificial waiting list. All long lead times experienced by customers are the consequence of capacity limitations or shortage in certain types, sizes or colors of skins. Over the last few years, Hermes has embarked on an ambitious program of hiring and training new craftsmen (and women)... the production is now raising and we are happy to announce a significant reduction in lead time.” communications director Fiona Rushton of Hermes says, as quoted by the British publication the Daily Mail.
Still, even if the lead time is decreased, that will certainly not impact the price or the popularity of these bags. As Victoria Beckham must already know and fashion critics are quick to point out, having one such Birkin is now seen as an “investment accessory piece.” With Posh having 100 pieces in her wardrobe, one might as well conclude that she is set for life as far as investments go.
