This truly is a work of heart.
Alexander Sway, from Downtown Bellevue, Washington, revealed in a TikTok how he spent two months attempting to make a Hermès Birkin handbag for his girlfriend, MJ Kim.
The So Black Matte Alligator Mississippiensis Birkin 35 that Sway replicated is listed for $110,000 on Sotheby’s.
Unable to afford the real thing, Sway set about finding some ‘blueprints’ online for the accessory and he watched YouTube videos to learn the art of bag making.
Alexander Sway, from Downtown Bellevue, Washington, revealed in a TikTok how he spent two months attempting to make a Hermes Birkin handbag for his girlfriend, MJ Kim
He told DailyMail.com that he purchased some leather material for about $80, while the tools cost $300 and ‘it took about 60 days to complete the bag from start to finish’
He told DailyMail.com that he purchased some leather material for about $80, while the tools cost $300 and ‘it took about 60 days to complete the bag from start to finish.’
Alexander, who works as a real estate agent, was inspired to make the bag as MJ often joked about wanting a luxury bag as a gift.
He explained: ‘I have a history of doing DIY projects and thought it might be fun to surprise her with a handmade bag.
‘I looked up the instructions online and it didn’t seem to complicated so I decided to give it a try.
‘There were instructions online that I had purchased and went to a local leather store to source some high-quality materials and tools.’
In two videos uploaded to TikTok and Instagram – which have collectively been viewed more than 50 million times – Alexander shows how he went about making the bag and the painstaking process involved.
In the clips he can be seen marking out each section of the bag on a piece of black crocodile leather.
He then cuts each part out before hammering small holes into the thick material so he can stitch it together.
Detailing what his introduction to handbag making was like, Alexander said: ‘The process was very involved.
In two videos uploaded to TikTok and Instagram – which have collectively been viewed more than 50 million times – Alexander shows how he went about making the bag
‘I hand punched about a thousand holes in preparation for sewing. This was very time consuming and a little painful because of the posture that I had to stay in,’ Alexander said
After many hours working away in secret at his parents’ and brother’s houses, Alexander revealed the finished product
The So Black Matte Alligator Mississippiensis Birkin 35 (left) that Sway is trying to replicated is listed for $110,000 on Sotheby’s. Pictured right is the replica Birkin made by Sway
‘It involved cutting the separate parts out of the leather then individually punching holes for sewing. I had to cut the pieces out several times because I was not experienced enough to know how to keep the lines straight.
‘Then I hand punched about a thousand holes in preparation for sewing. This was very time consuming and a little painful because of the posture that I had to stay in.
‘Finally, I could hand sew the pieces together, which ended up being the most challenging part. The string eventually cut into my fingers and left my hands very sore.
‘I have never worked on a bag like this before nor done work on leather.’
After many hours working away in secret at his parents’ and brother’s houses, Alexander revealed the finished product.
Along with the bag, he also made a horse-shaped Hermes ‘rodeo’ bag charm. Real versions of this small leather accessory usually retail for around $1,000 new.
He explained in an overlaid caption that his project ‘didn’t turn out perfect but that’s all part of the process.’
The handyman then captured the moment he gifted the DIY bag to his girlfriend.
She can be seen pulling a shocked expression before she shows the accessory to the camera.
The bag (the real deal pictured above) which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, was created by former Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas in 1984
Thousands of commenters applauded Alexander’s thoughtful gift.
One wrote: ‘Hermes is $110,000. A handbag made by your man is priceless.’
Another added: ‘I think having a partner willing to put in this work and thought into a gift is a bigger flex than having a Birkin bag.’
While Alexander says MJ ‘loves the bag’ that he made her and ‘cherishes it very much,’ he is ‘sure somewhere deep down she would still like the real thing.’
After attempting to make a Birkin, Alexander says it’s made him appreciate why the bags are so expensive and the ‘workmanship of professionals.’
The bag, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, was created by former Hermes chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas in 1984.
The fashion house remains elusive about how many of the bags are sold every year, with ordinary buyers arriving in store often prevented from purchasing them in favor of celebrity or high-profile fashion clients.
Appraisers generally agree that even the most basic of the Birkin range – starting from about $10,000 – will hold their value.
Waiting lists have been known to last up to six years, with prices quickly entering five figures.
Victoria Beckham is famously fond of the Hermes design, reportedly owning a collection worth more than $2 million, while Kim Kardashian has so many that she uses one as a gym bag.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk