Current:Home > InvestHow a DIY enthusiast created a replica of a $126,000 Birkin handbag for his girlfriend -Core Financial Strategies
How a DIY enthusiast created a replica of a $126,000 Birkin handbag for his girlfriend
View
Date:2025-04-17 15:34:15
The Birkin bag, a luxury handbag made by French fashion house Hermès, has become a symbol of wealth and exclusivity, with long waiting lists and prices that can soar into the hundreds of thousands.
When Seattle product designer M.J. Kim expressed interest in owning a Birkin bag to her boyfriend, Alexander Sway, they both agreed its high price point put the designer piece out of reach.
"Hermès was a brand that my mom and friends love and they always talk about Birkins," Kim told CBS MoneyWatch. "But it was kind of a joke that I would have one because I knew it was so expensive and coveted."
Unbeknownst to Kim, however, Sway — a real estate agent and DIY enthusiast — made it his after-work hobby to handcraft a leather handbag for his girlfriend himself, from scratch. Sway researched tutorials online and drafted his own blueprints to make the correct leather cuts.
"I love doing things with my hands," Sway said. "I decided to make the 'Birkin' as a surprise for her because it looks like the most doable designer bag to make and I was looking for my next DIY project."
Depending on their condition, material, color and other details, the cost of an Hermès Birkin bag ranges from $10,000 to as much as $450,000. But price is not the only barrier to obtaining the iconic accessory named after late British-French singer-actress Jane Birkin, who died last week at age 76 at her home in Paris.
Even if you're able and willing to pay the steep price, walking into an Hermès store will not guarantee you a Birkin of your choice. The sales associates at Hermès make the decision of whether or not to present clients a bag for purchase, based on how much an individual spends in the store as well as other "unknown" factors, according to Byrdie, a beauty and fashion website.
Sway modeled his bag after a Birkin crocodile bag, which is made of real crocodile leather and sells for almost $126,000 on 1stdibs, a luxury e-commerce website.
Hermès did not immediately return a request for comment about Sway's DIY project.
Sway brought his blueprints to a local leather store and then picked out croc-embossed calfskin and cowhide for his version of the bag.
Sway said making the bag required long hours and a tolerance for "leather's distinct smell."
"In total, it took about 60 hours and over 30 days to make the bag," the amateur tailor recounted.
The high-end leather materials cost about $80 each, he said. The rest of the budget was spent on tools for leatherwork such as hammers, skivers, punches, needles and thread.
"While making this bag, I was very overwhelmed with how labor-intensive one bag like this was for me," Sway said. "It brought a newfound appreciation for the craftsmen that spend their livelihoods designing and hand-making these items."
"I felt so loved"
When presented with her handmade Birkin-style bag, Kim said she was shocked and grateful for the hours that her boyfriend spent working on the project.
"Wow, I've never had anyone do something for me that is this labor-intensive; and I felt so loved," she said.
Kim says she hasn't taken her new handbag to too many places yet, but has worn it to friends' barbecues, New York City, and burger chain Five Guys. Sway encourages others to attempt DIY solutions like this one, even if they seem complex or daunting.
"It was a really fun project and something we learned is just because something is luxury, doesn't mean it's out of reach," he said. "It can feel empowering to make your own replica or your own version."
Sanvi BangaloreSanvi Bangalore is a business reporting intern for CBS MoneyWatch. She attends American University in Washington, D.C., and is studying business administration and journalism.
TwitterveryGood! (8212)
Related
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
- 150th Run for the Roses: The history and spectacle of the Kentucky Derby
- Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban step out with daughters Sunday and Faith on AFI gala carpet
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Taylor Swift sings about giving away her 'youth for free' on new album. Many know her pain.
- Mike Tyson explains why he's given up sex and marijuana before Jake Paul bout on July 20
- West Virginia and North Carolina’s transgender care coverage policies discriminate, judges rule
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- NHL awards 2024: Finalists announced for Vezina Trophy as top goaltender
Ranking
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- Columbia protest faces 2 p.m. deadline; faculty members 'stand' with students: Live updates
- Travis Kelce Calls Taylor Swift His Significant Other at Patrick Mahomes' Charity Gala in Las Vegas
- Russia attacks Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas competes for first time since 2016
- Sea off New England had one of its hottest years in 2023, part of a worldwide trend
- Predators' Roman Josi leaves Game 4 with bloody ear, returns as Canucks rally for OT win
Recommendation
How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
Eric Church speaks out on his polarizing Stagecoach 2024 set: 'It felt good'
Missing teen child of tech executives found safe in San Francisco, suspect in custody
Tornadoes leave a trail of destruction in Oklahoma, communities begin to assess damage
Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
Horoscopes Today, April 27, 2024
2.9 magnitude earthquake rattles New Jersey
Migration roils US elections. Mexico sees mass migration too, but its politicians rarely mention it