How I Got My First Hermes Birkin

I wanted to share my journey today to how I got my first Hermes Birkin directly from the boutique! I actually cannot believe I am lucky enough to publish this post after lusting after Birkins / Kellys for a decade! For handbag lovers like myself, getting your first Birkin or Kelly is sort of a pilgrimage or journey. There is definitely an excitement to getting your first one that I can’t even describe!

If you want to see how I style my Hermes Evelyne bag (a great starter bag from Hermes and more affordable), check out my post here for outfit ideas!

The Backstory to How I Got My First Hermes Birkin

First, for those who don’t know, it’s insanely hard to buy a Birkin or Kelly directly from the Hermès boutique. This is why I am going into so much detail below on how I got my first Hermes Birkin. There are SO many forums, blog posts etc detailing how people obtain their Birkin and Kelly bags. The advantage of buying one from the boutique, is that you are getting a brand new bag (no risk of buying a fake bag) for a fraction of the reselling market cost. Because they are so hard to get, they sell for thousands more on consignment websites.

From my research, the most common thing I read is that you need to spend quite a bit at the boutique before asking for a Birkin or Kelly. There are exceptions to the rule, and some people get super lucky and are able to buy one with no purchase history. This spurred me to think of my history and I wanted to outline that below.

My Hermes Journey Part 1

It all started in 2012 when I received my first Hermes bangle as a gift from my relatives (best gift ever!). I had been wanting a bangle SO bad and was thrilled to get my first! From 2013 to 2016 I bought several things from various Hermes boutique locations; the most expensive being my Evelyne PM in gold clemence leather. I have used that bag so much the last 7 years, so it was definitely a worth while purchase. I also got 3 other various bracelet designs, a couple of scarves and a scarf ring.

My Hermes Journey Part 2

After a hiatus from Hermes shopping, my hubby and I went to look at the end of last year (2020). He had seen a bracelet he wanted for Christmas. My love affair with Hermes started all over again that day. We purchased his bracelet and I ended up grabbing one for myself as well. My sweet hubby ended up gifting me another bracelet for Christmas I saw in the store that day and loved.

I never intended to buy a Birkin until recently, even though I had read so much about them over the years (the leathers, heritage, colors etc) just for fun. When I started shopping at Hermes again in 2020 after a long break, my SA (sales associate) was surprised I knew so much about the brand. I had always assumed Birkins were much more expensive because they sell online for much more than they cost new from the boutique.

During this boutique visit for my hubby’s bracelet, I mentioned to my SA (sales associate) I would be interested in a Birkin “some day”. When she told me the cost, I suddenly realized they were more within reach that I had thought… I thought you had to shell out $20,000 to get one. Now, I had been thinking about a Chanel Jumbo for my 2021 bag (I try to stick to the 1 handbag per year rule). When I realized a Birkin was only a little more than a Chanel Jumbo I made it my mission get one.

I went back 1 more time at the end of last year to pick up a belt I had been wanting forever. If you get a belt from Hermes, they can punch extra holes. I like to wear my belt up higher with dresses, or with denim.

Asking My Sales Associate

In January (2021), we went to visit the store for a 3rd time to grab some cologne for my hubby. I decided to work up the courage to ask for a Birkin on that specific trip to the store. The whole time we were there I was SO nervous and didn’t bring it up. We were then checking out, and I was like okay IT’S NOW OR NEVER! I was super awkward when I initiated the question lol!

Once we started chatting about it, I told her what exactly I was looking for. She told me we could make a “wish list”. The wish list basically consists of colors, size and leather type. She also told me to text her if I think of anything else after that I didn’t mention. I told her my number 1 choice by a mile, was a gold togo Birkin with gold hardware in a size 30. She immediately got that “oh no honey” look when I said that. She hadn’t seen that rare combination come through the store in years! I was pretty disappointed because that was really the only one I REALLY wanted.

The Waiting Game

Once your wish list is submitted, you wait to see if your SA contacts you and offers you a bag. Depending on what your request(s) are, you might wait months or years. I was really sad thinking about how impossible my combination is to get and wondered if I even wanted anything else if she were to offer it. I kept thinking maybe it just isn’t meant to be if I can’t get the one I want. Maybe I can try again in a few years.

That Fateful Day

Fast forward to mid February, I get a text from my SA saying “Hi Jenna!!!!!!!!”. I FREAKED OUT when I saw this text because I knew this was it. I knew I was about to get my first Birkin offer. How did it happen so soon!? Jumping up and down, screaming, crying – it all happened lol. After my initial excitement, I got really sad again thinking she was going to offer me my 2nd or 3rd choice since my 1st choice (gold B30 in togo with GHW) is too hard to get.

She told me she had a Birkin for me and I set up an appointment to go see it. She then asked if I wanted to know which one, or if I would rather be surprised. I wanted to prepare myself to be let down, so I asked for details. When she responded that it was a Gold Togo B30 with gold hardware, I just lost it with excitement!!! That truly was a moment I will never forget.

Picking Up My Bag

I went to pick up my beloved Ms Goldie over the weekend and it was such a special day that I will never forget. My SA brought her out on a tray with a bunch of items to match, and the presentation was just phenomenal. Words cannot describe how grateful and lucky I feel to have this bag. My SA said it was very hard to get and I am just in shock I got so lucky. Touching it and holding it was a crazy moment since I have never held a Birkin. It is by far the nicest bag I have ever seen in person. I fully understand now why these are the most exclusive bags in the world.

Thank you so much for reading how I got my first Hermes Birkin!! I am truly over the moon!!

It’s hard to tell with the mask, but I had the biggest smile on my face!!!

I got matching sandals while I was there as well!

I carried her for the first time today and took some photos! She is even more beautiful in person! If you have any questions on how I got my first Hermes Birkin, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Outfit Details:

Sweater, Jeans, Mules (c/o), Hoops, Necklace (c/o), Sunglasses,