The Birkin before the Birkin: A look back at Jane’s original statement purse
Before crocodiles, there was straw —
Before the Birkin Bag was introduced in 1981, Jane Birkin was most often photographed carrying a wicker basket, as a purse.
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The wicker woman —
Days before she first met Hermès CEO, Jean-Louis Dumas, her husband had accidentally run over one of her wicker baskets with his car.
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Just for Jane —
Dumas designed the bag as a solution to Birkin's problem that she could not find a leather bag she liked.
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Back to baskets —
Birkin did use the bag for some time, but soon gave it up because she was carrying too many things in it, which was making it too heavy.
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Is one enough? —
It's been reported that Jane Birkin only owns one Birkin bag, and has auctioned others in her collection. She has said in the past that she doesn't see the point in owning more.