They have been known to sell for tens of thousands of dollars, so it’s little wonder that the prospect of buying a Hermès Birkin caused one fashionista to break out into a cold sweat.
Megs Mahoney Dusil, co-founder of Purse Blog, has shared her amusing account of purchasing her very first Birkin – revealing how the transaction left her feeling ‘sick’ and panic-ridden for 48 hours.
Dusil was living in Columbus, Ohio, after finishing college in 2007, and paying just $350 (£265) a month in rent which allowed her to save up for a 30cm Togo Blue Jean Birkin.
She told MailOnline: ‘It was not the feeling I thought I’d have after scoring the bag of my dreams.’
Birkins are known to rapidly increase in value – they have been proven to be a better financial investment than gold – and similar styles can sell online at anywhere from $20,000 (£15,000) up to $28,000 (£21,000).
Megs Mahoney Dusil, co-founder of Purse Blog, invested in a Hermes Birkin bag similar to this one – but the purchase caused her to break out in a cold sweat (file photo)
Dusil splashed out $6,200 (£4,680) but also bought a scarf and wallet, bringing her total bill to an eye-watering $8,648 (£6,530).
The fashion lover, who is currently based in Florida, was on a trip to New York City in November 2007 when she decided to try her luck the Wall Street Hermès store.
Then aged 24, she felt anxious about making such a big purchase and even called her father, a financial advisor, for advice beforehand.
Despite telling the sales associate which model she wanted – a 30cm Togo Blue Jean Birkin – Dusil did not have high hopes about scooping her dream bag as Birkins operate on a strict waiting list.
But the following day, she received a call from the store telling her they’d got her bag.
‘We rushed to the store before closing, and she took us into the changing room and opened a box to show me my holy grail,’ Dusil wrote.
Dusil was on a trip to New York City in November 2007 when she decided to try her luck the Wall Street Hermès store (file photo) and walked away with her very own Birkin
‘There she was, and she was beautiful. Next thing I know, I picked out a few accessories and we went to check out. I remember it all being a whirlwind; like, how is this even happening?’
After purchasing the bag – ‘the most expensive item I ever owned’ – on her credit card, she took it back to her hotel on the subway, terrified of losing it or spilling something on it.
Despite shelling out thousands of dollars on her new accessory, Dusil felt too nervous to take it out for dinner that night and instead left it ‘wrapped and untouched’ in the corner of the hotel room.
Solid investment: A $129,000 (£98,000) crocodile skin Birkin during a private opening for the new Hermes store in New York. Birkins are said to be a better financial investment than gold
She recalled: ‘My stomach churned, my body was shaking, and I was both sweating and freezing all at once. I remember feeling like I was going to throw up, and I went to the bathroom.’
That night, in ‘full panic attack mode,’ Dusil struggled to sleep and wondered whether she’d made the wrong decision. But ultimately, she said, she was glad she’s made the investment.
She concluded: ‘It’s funny, because this was a bag I had thought about for many years and I was able to afford it and find one well before I ever imagined, but how I felt after I bought that bag was not at all what I anticipated.’