When you think about Hermès, most likely the next word that comes to mind is ‘Birkin’. Such is the legacy and enduring appeal of the iconic handbag, first created for English model Jane Birkin in 1984. Most likely even those who have little interest in fashion could recount the origin story of the bag, involving Jane Birkin and a serendipitous meeting with Louis Dama (an executive of Hermès at the time) on a flight, whereby Jane knocked over the bag she was carrying, the contents spilling out… as she lamented that there were no bags on the market big enough to store her belongings.
After Jane described her ideal bag to Louis, the Birkin bag was born. With waitlists of up to five years or more and whole host of celebrities and socialites wearing theirs as status symbols, the bag itself soon became a bigger cultural icon than what Jane could have ever imagined. Today, the Birkin’s eye-watering price points have also made them treasured heirlooms and wise investments, in addition to being a piece of fashion history.
The Louis Vuitton Nano Speedy
Audrey Hepburn, 1966Mirrorpix/Getty Images
A historic French house best known for its luggage pieces, Louis Vuitton has been creating lust-worthy bags since its founding in 1854. Over the years, many instantly-recognisable styles have found favour, from the Neverfull to the Capuccines, but perhaps one of the most beloved – and certainly still popular – styles is the Speedy bag. Legend has it, Coco Chanel first commissioned a custom version of LV’s Steamer bag in 1925, requesting a smaller size that’s more user-friendly for everyday use – and the more compact style, originally called the Alma, soon found commercial success and encouraged the French brand to produce even smaller goods.
The Speedy first made its debut in 1930, but was soon reimagined again in several sizes thanks to stars like Audrey Hepburn who requested an even more petite size, spawning the Speedy 25 that’s still found on the arms of all our favourite It girls today. With the help of daring creative directors from Marc Jacobs to Pharrell Williams, the bag has been refreshed again and again, making it an enduring modern staple.
The Fendi Baguette
Sarah-Jessica Parker, 2000Ron Galella/Getty Images