What is the most popular Hermès bag?

The most popular Hermès bag is the Birkin. Since its 1984 debut, the Hermès Birkin bag has become a coveted status symbol as much as it has an exclusive collector’s piece. The handbag is among the most expensive in the world, and the appetite for the accessory is well-known inside and outside the fashion industry.

The Hermès Birkin has become an icon, no doubt about it. But it has also become something more surprising: a better investment than a painting by an Impressionist master. A study of luxury investments in 2019 found that luxury handbags had the highest returns (the Hermès Birkin bag fared considerably well on the list). 

When the Birkin first became available, in 1984, the cost of a basic model was approximately $2,000, and it has since increased 500 percent. Each is handmade by a single expert craftsperson. Price varies with size, hardware, color and type of leather. A limited assortment of leathers and colors is released each year.

While the Birkin tops the list of the brand’s most popular bags, in the world of luxury purses, Hermès stands apart. Other widely cherished favorites in the house’s collection of handbags include the Kelly, the Constance and the Evelyne.

Find a collection of Hermès handbags and shoulder bags on 1stDibs.