How rare is the Hermes handbag that Ms. Truong My Lan asked for back?

On September 27, the Trial Panel (TP) questioned defendant Truong My Lan (Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Van Thinh Phat) and accomplices regarding objects, evidence, and documents seized during the investigation.

In court, defendant Truong My Lan stated that during the investigation, many of her assets were confiscated and many personal items such as phones, shoes, and handbags were confiscated.

"When I was arrested, two albino Hermès handbags were confiscated. One I bought in Italy and the other was given to me by a Malaysian tycoon. These bags are not worth much, and I want to leave them to my children and grandchildren as souvenirs. Therefore, I would like the jury to consider allowing me to get these bags back," defendant Lan stated.

The Hermès handbag that Ms. Truong My Lan mentioned is the Birkin Himalaya model.

Close-up of the world's most expensive Hermès handbag (Editor: Binh Tan).

Mistaken name

The Hermès Birkin is one of the most expensive handbags in the world. Launched in 1984, the Birkin bag is said to represent the high status and luxurious, classy lifestyle of its owner.

Several limited edition Birkin bags are produced in extremely limited quantities, including the Himalaya model.

The striking design combined with premium materials makes the Himalaya Birkin bag highly sought after, leading to skyrocketing prices on the resale market.

The Hermès Birkin Himalaya is an elusive handbag due to its scarcity and extremely expensive price. The Birkin Himalaya bag is also at the top of the wish list of handbag collectors around the world.

The Himalaya Birkin handbag is one of the most coveted bags in the world (Photo: Getty).

Compared to other handbags from Hermès, the Himalaya Birkin bag has a unique color. The distinctive white color of the bag makes it mistakenly be made from albino crocodile skin. Many people often call this bag the "albino" Hermès bag.

In fact, the white and grey hues on the Birkin Himalaya are the result of a painstaking dyeing process, created by Hermès’ master craftsmen. The Birkin Himalaya’s leather dyeing process is strictly guarded to ensure exclusivity.

Before dyeing, the artisan must bleach the original color on the crocodile skin. Therefore, the lighter the color, the more difficult it is to dye, requiring more processing techniques, consuming a lot of effort and time.

This is one of the factors that makes the Himalaya Birkin bag even more special and expensive.

Every detail on the Birkin Himalaya bag is meticulously and beautifully finished (Photo: Sotheby's).

The leather used to make the Hermès Birkin Himalaya bag comes from the Nile crocodile, a species of crocodile native to Africa. The selection and processing of the input leather is meticulously carried out, contributing to the luxurious and classy appearance of the bag.

The term “Himalaya” refers to the color of the Hermès Birkin bag. During the tanning process, the artisans manipulate the dye to create an ombre effect (a transition from dark to light color). The resulting white and gray tones are skillfully expressed on the tanned leather.

The grey in varying shades evokes rocky mountain slopes, while the white represents the majestic appearance of snow-capped Himalayan peaks.

Strong attraction

With a complex production process, the number of finished Birkin Himalaya handbags from Hermès' warehouse is not much.

The Himalaya Birkin bag from Hermès' Fall-Winter 2010 collection (Photo: Hermès).

Initially, the size 30 Himalaya Matte Birkin handbag was produced in secret by the French brand and sold only to top bag collectors.

This new and unique style bag was known only to the most loyal Hermès fans at the time.

In 2010, the then creative director at Hermès - designer Jean-Paul Gaultier - introduced the Himalaya Birkin handbag in the Fall - Winter 2010 collection.

Since then, the legendary handbag has gradually attracted global attention.

The size 30 and size 35 Himalaya Birkin bags were discovered in production in 2008 and 2009 respectively. In 2012, Hermès released a size 25 version.

The Birkin's "sister" - the Kelly bag - was produced in the Himalaya version in 2013 with sizes (bottom length of the bag) including 25cm, 28cm and 32cm. It was not until 2020 that the 35cm Himalaya Kelly bag appeared.

Since 2016, Hermès has been producing Himalayan-style leather goods other than Birkin and Kelly bags.

This is a testament to the appeal of Himalaya designs from the French brand.

Expensive value

Himalaya Birkin bag size 25 (Photo: SACLAB).

According to information from the famous auction house Sotheby's website, the size 25 Himalaya Birkin bag currently retails from $45,000 (VND 1.1 billion) to $65,000 (VND 1.6 billion) at Hermès (prices may vary depending on country and local taxes).

In the US, the retail price of this bag is currently around $61,700 (1.5 billion VND).

Larger handbags command higher retail prices. However, this is reversed on the secondary market – where smaller handbags command higher prices.

On the secondary market, the Hermès Birkin Himalaya often sells for a higher price than other crocodile Birkin bags, depending on the condition and "age" of the bag.

In 2021, the Himalaya Birkin size 25 bag was the most sought-after version, selling for more than $300,000 (VND 7.4 billion) at Sotheby's.

In 2023, a size 25 Himalaya Birkin bag in new condition would sell for around $200,000 (VND4.9 billion).

A size 30 version in similar condition sold for nearly $150,000. Meanwhile, older bags with visible signs of wear sold for nearly $100,000.

The Hermès Birkin Himalaya comes in both diamond and non-diamond versions. The hardware on the non-diamond version is finished in high-quality, shiny palladium. The cadena lock body is covered in leather in the same color as the bag.

The diamond-encrusted Himalaya Birkin is the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction, according to Sotheby's.

The Birkin Himalaya 25 bag has white gold hardware and 145 diamonds totaling 5.7 carats (Photo: Christie's Asia).

In 2022, Sotheby's sold a size 30 Himalayan Birkin bag, encrusted with diamonds, for more than $450,000.

The white and gray colors on the bag body perfectly match the 18K white gold hardware, studded with white diamonds.

The cadena lock alone is made of 68.4 grams of 18K white gold and is set with 40 round and brilliant white diamonds, totaling 1.64 carats. The three hardware components of the bag – Touret, Pontet and Plaque de Sanglons – are set with over 200 diamonds, totaling 8.2 carats.

On a background of treated and dyed crocodile skin, these precious materials add to the luxurious and splendid look.

The Birkin Himalaya is an example of Hermès craftsmanship. Every detail on the bag is exquisitely finished, reflecting the brand's commitment to creating a work of art in leather.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/tui-xach-hermes-ba-truong-my-lan-xin-lai-hiem-co-co-nao-20240927222857056.htm