1It takes 48 hours to make a Birkin.
Getty Images All Birkins are crafted by a single artisan in one of the brand's workshops. It takes each artisan 48 hours of work to create a single bag.
2There are around 200,000 Birkins in circulation.
Getty Images Hermès no longer takes special orders for the bag, and customers must wait for Birkins in the shades they desire to arrive in stores.
3You can rent one for the week.
Getty Images If you’re commitment-phobic (or want to test one out before you fork over a small fortune), the e-commerce site VillageLuxe, which launched last year, lets you try before you buy. You can rent a Birkin for $295 per week, and then either send it back, or pull the trigger.
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4The most expensive Birkin in the world sold for $380,000.
Christies In May, Christie's set a world record when this matte crocodile Birkin with diamond-encrusted hardware sold at auction for $380,000.
5It was designed on an airplane sick bag.
Getty Images The Birkin bag was famously created for Jane Birkin by the CEO of Hermès in 1981 after he sat next to her on an airplane and saw all of her belongings fall out of her handbag. When he offered to create a new handbag for her, they sketched her ideal design on the back on an airplane sick bag.
6Jane Birkin has only had five of her namesake bags.
Getty Images She only uses one Birkin at a time and carries her bags until they wear out. She is also known for decorating the pricy purses with stickers, pins, and strands of beads.
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7A Birkin is a better investmant than shares of the stock market.
Getty Images Studies have shown that rare Birkin bags have averaged a 14.2% annual return over the past few decades—an average return that beats out both the S&P 500 index and the price of gold.
8The Birkin wasn't always popular.
Getty Images Handbag specialists have noted that the bag didn't take off until the "It Bag" craze of the 1990's. Since then, they have garnered many devoted fans. Victoria Beckham is rumored to own over 100 Birkins.
9Birkin bags start at around $8,500.
Getty Images $8,500 will get you a leather Birkin with plain hardware. In 2001, when Samantha tried to purchase one in an episode of Sex and the City, a leather Birkin cost $4,000.
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10An empty Birkin can weigh two pounds.
Getty Images It might not seem like a lot, but when you throw in a phone, wallet, keys, and a makeup bag, it adds up!
11Birkins are named according to size, color, and texture.
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