Latest news with #Birkin
Business Insider
6 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Business Insider
8 status symbols that last a lifetime, from Herman Miller chairs to the royal family's jacket of choice
Buy It For Life is a community on Reddit that highlights durable, high-quality products worth investing in. For some, that means splurging on expensive items known for their craftsmanship. Pricey items like Rolex watches and Le Creuset cookware can be seen as lasting investments. How much would you spend on a handmade comforter for your bed? For some, $5,000 — the price of some eiderdown bedding — is worth the splurge if it lasts a lifetime. This concept of buying something for life is a consumer movement with a thriving Reddit community of 3.1 million members. The r/BuyItForLife subreddit serves people searching for products that will outlive them, or at least that they won't have to replace for a decade or more. The subreddit says it was created to showcase "high-quality, durable, and practical products that can be bought once and used for life." High quality and durable don't always mean expensive, but Business Insider set out to find long-lasting items worth investing in. Many are pricier than the average person might pay. "Quality lasts, and when it comes to these investment pieces, you're not just buying an object, you're shaping how you live," Niki Cheng, designer and cofounder of 18th Street Design Collective, said. Here are eight items with a reputation for being symbols of wealth or good taste that have appeared in the BuyItForLife subreddit. Stylists, interior designers, and the makers themselves explained to BI why they stand the test of time. Fashion Apparel can be tricky to buy for life, stylist and content creator Timothy Chernyaev said. Trends change, people grow, and clothes endure everyday wear and tear. Quality clothing can still last a long time, though. "Generally, as a rule, you get what you pay for, and a quality item, especially clothing, should last you 10 years," style consultant Reginald Ferguson of the NY Fashion Geek told BI. Meanwhile, accessories, like a high-quality handbag, can outlive you. The highly exclusive and expensive Hermès Birkin bag, for example, can be passed down to family or sold later in life. The prototype Birkin, first worn by Jane Birkin almost 40 years ago, is coming up for auction this summer on Sotheby's. "Buy the jacket that outlives seasons, the watch that feels like an heirloom the moment you fasten it," said Nicole Pollard Bayme, stylist and founder of Lalaluxe. Here are four other fashion items known for their quality and longevity: Viberg boots - $800+ Viberg, a family-run Canadian brand that has operated since 1931, is frequently recommended in r/BuyItForLife posts asking about boots with a long shelf life. The full-grain leather boots sell for around $800 or more. Pollard Bayme says it's worth it if buyers intend to wear them "a thousand times." Loro Piana Loro Piana is a textile mill that manufactures wool, cotton, silk, and more for brands throughout the world, Ferguson said. It controls its supply chain from building relationships with cashmere farmers in Mongolia to placing a $3,500 sweater on its shelves. "A Loro Piana coat isn't expensive if it's worn a thousand times and makes you feel powerful every time you slip it on," Pollard Bayme said. Rolex - $4,000+ The Swiss-made watches are known widely for their craftsmanship, exclusivity, and materials. For some, watches are an introduction to luxury shopping. Their longevity can make them an investment more than a purchase. "A Rolex isn't just a watch — it's one of the rare luxury items that can be worn daily, handed down through generations, and still hold its value," Bob's Watches CEO Paul Altieri said. "It's not just something you own — it's something you pass on." Barbour waxed jacket - $400+ Barbour is an English family-owned brand beloved by the British royal family. Snapshots of various royals in the rainy UK throughout the brand's 130-year history are all over the internet. Its iconic Bedale and Beaufort wax jackets are made by hand in a North East London factory,Barbour's website says. Customers can have their $435 jacket re-waxed and repaired over the years to keep it in good shape. "A Barbour is certainly an investment worth owning. Strong, durable, water resistant," Ferguson said. "If it's good for the royal family, it's good for me." Barbour declined a request for comment from Business Insider. Lifestyle Unlike apparel, lifestyle products must be functional in addition to long-lasting. An office chair must endure hours of pressure and movement for years, while cookware withstands 400-degree heat. "The 'buy it once' approach isn't just about saving money over time, it's about surrounding yourself with objects that hold up and hold meaning," Isfira Jensen, interior designer and CEO of Jensen & Co. design firm, said. These four lifestyle products stand the test of time, according to interior design professionals: Herman Miller office chair - $1,800+ Herman Miller office chairs are "ergonomically flawless and visually timeless," Cheng said. To hold up during eight-hour days at your desk, Herman Miller told BI that it does extensive testing. It runs over 2,500 different tests on its furniture — "ranging from staining, cleanability, UV exposure, scratch and dent, to structural component durability" — to make sure it lasts, a spokesperson for Herman Miller said. Outside office chairs, Herman Miller produces the Eames chair and ottoman, a status symbol highly coveted by young, wealthy men in particular. Le Creuset Dutch oven - $200+ Is a Le Creuset Dutch oven worth the up to $800 price tag? For some members of the BuyItForLife subreddit, the answer is a resounding yes. "Le Creuset is definitely BIFL. I've been using my dutch oven every week to bake bread for years and it still as good as new," one user said. The cookware is crafted in France with a porcelain enamel glaze. It can also be a popular heirloom among families. "Many people find that their first Dutch oven turns into a go-to kitchen companion, eventually passed down to the next generation," Jensen said. "It's less of a splurge, and more of a lifelong relationship." Montblanc fountain pen - $200+ In a world where texting and emails are the standard for written communication, handwritten notes hold more weight. "When you write something on a handwritten letter, you don't just pass on the content, you are actually passing on meaning," Zaim Kamal, former creative director of Montblanc, told BI in 2020. Montblanc provides long-term services and restoration for its artisan-made fountain pens that retail for over $200, making them ideal family heirlooms. "A Montblanc pen is about legacy," Cheng said. "My first pen was given to me by my dad. It's not just for writing for me." Eiderdown duvet - $4,000+ Eiderdown duvets and comforters are hand-crafted covers that are made using feathers from eider ducks in subarctic and arctic regions. They're scarcer than gold, diamonds, and platinum, retailer Icelandic Down told BI. "Eiderdown is painstakingly collected from the abandoned nests of eider ducks. It takes around 50 to 70 nests to make 2.2 pounds of eiderdown — involving dozens of hours of manual labor," a spokesperson said. The duvets and comforters at Icelandic Down retail for $4,000 or more and, when treated well, can last up to 50 years, according to the company. "Great bedding is like a bespoke suit — you feel the quality every single day," Cheng said.
Bloomberg
11 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags
By Dressed in a white lab coat, Mélissa B. slips on thin cotton gloves and gently places a Zanzibar blue Hermès Birkin bag, its iconic orange box, a cloth dust cover, and various documents on her desk. She steps back to eye the $18,000 purse, hunting for any bulges or bends. She runs her fingertips along the top, then picking up her pocket-size magnifying glass, she leans in to examine a palladium plate on the flap. The logo has evolved over time, but the engraved text has remained sharp and well-defined, with the characters evenly spaced. 'This is one of the key Birkin features to check,' she says. She shifts her gaze to the stitching, checking for consistency and uniformity. The four palladium feet on the bottom of the bag get a check to ensure they're made of the same metal as the rest of the hardware, and that they're hammered, not screwed, in place. Then she homes in on the zipper—ensuring it's one made by Hermès in-house, with its distinctive H-shaped stopper at the end.
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The Citizen
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
First ever Birkin bag to be auctioned in July [PICS]
The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend. The prototype Birkin will be exhibited at Sotheby's in New York. Picture: iStock The first Birkin bag, designed by French luxury brand Hermès for actress Jane Birkin in 1984, will be auctioned in Paris on 10 July 2025, Sotheby's announced on Thursday. The large black leather tote, whose design went on to become one of the most famous and expensive bags in the world, will be the centrepiece of the 'Fashion Icons' sale, the auction house said. This 'historic, handcrafted prototype', engraved with the initials J.B., has several unique features, including closed metal rings, a non-detachable shoulder strap and a built-in nail clipper. The original Birkin crafted for Jane Birkin in 1985. Picture: ETX/Sotheby's© The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend. During a Paris–London flight, the Anglo-French singer and actress, who died in 2023, complained to a fellow traveller about not being able to find a bag suited to her needs as a young mother. That fellow passenger happened to be Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes. The result of their conversation was a spacious tote with room for baby bottles, created in 1984 and named the Birkin. ALSO READ: SA-born artist Marlene Dumas breaks global record with over R245 million painting sale [PICS] The bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online 40 years later, the leather handbag has become the flagship product of the luxury French leather goods maker. Produced in very limited numbers, it maintains an aura of exclusivity, with prices ranging from several thousand euros for the simplest models to several hundred thousand euros for the most luxurious. Beloved by celebrities including Khloe Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham, the bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online. The prototype Birkin was exhibited at Sotheby's in New York from 6 to 12 June, ahead of the sale in the French capital. In addition to the Birkin bag, the Sotheby's sale will feature iconic runway pieces from designers including Christian Dior, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. Bidding will open online on 26 June and close on 10 July. NOW READ: 17-year-old Pearl Mathebula wins Miss Teen International in Peru
IOL News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Jane Birkin's iconic Hermès prototype handbag to auction in Paris
The very first Birkin handbag made for actress Jane Birkin will go under the hammer in July. The piece of modern fashion history is likely to spark a bidding frenzy with experts predicting it could fetch upwards of six figures. The first-ever Birkin bag that was designed by French luxury brand Hermès for late actress Jane Birkin is set to be sold at auction in Paris next month. As Birkin recounted in a 2018 interview, the conversation sparked the conception of what would become one of the most iconic handbags in history. The origins of this Birkin bag is steeped in fashion lore, beginning with a chance encounter between Birkin and the late Jean-Louis Dumas, the then CEO of Hermès , on a flight from Paris to London in 1984. "I had my agenda as usual banged full of bits of paper, and everything fell to the ground," Birkin said during the interview. She continued: 'He said: 'You should have pockets in that agenda', I said: 'What can you do? Hermès don't make it with pockets', to which he replied: 'I am Hermès'." 'I think I drew it on the sick bag - or the not-be-sick bag. And (Dumas) said: 'I'll make it for you',' Birkin told "Vogue". That conversation ignited the inspiration that ultimately morphed into one of the most coveted handbags in fashion history. After Birkin's passing in 2023, the original bag, which she had generously donated in 1994 to support the French Aids charity, Association Solidarité Sida, was acquired in 2000 by Catherine Benier, a vintage store owner and collector based in Paris. The prototype heading to the auction block at Sotheby's in Paris on Thursday, July 10, is unlike any other Birkin. Over the years, the Birkin bag has become a symbol of luxury and status, often fetching astronomical sums at auctions. However, this particular piece comes with a rich history, exhibited in prestigious venues like MoMA in New York and the V&A Museum in London, it has been regarded as more than just a handbag; it embodies the "soul" of early Birkin designs. 'This bag was the very beginning of Le Birkin and we know Jane was proud to have it,' said Aurélie Vassy, head of handbags and fashion at Sotheby's.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
‘Object of a lifetime': The first original Birkin bag from 1984 to be auctioned in July
'Object of a lifetime': The first original Birkin bag from 1984 to be auctioned in July NEW YORK – It is nearly impossible to walk inside an Hermes store and come home with a new Birkin bag. But if you wanted to get your hands on the original Birkin bag – the prototype made for British-French actress-singer Jane Birkin – it is going up for auction. It will be sold as part of a Paris Fashion Icons sale, which Sotheby's is holding on July 10. Prior to that, it will be on view at Sotheby's Galleries in Paris from July 3 to 9. There is no public estimate for how much the bag might fetch. 'At this stage, we will communicate it privately to potential bidders,' said Ms Morgane Halimi, global head of handbags and fashion for Sotheby's. 'Obviously, it is a one-of-a-kind piece, completely apart from any other handbag or any other Birkin. We are breaking records with Birkin bags on a regular basis at auction. We foresee it to be as unique as the Diana jumper or a worn jersey from the NBA. It has value because of what it is and what has happened because of that bag.' The story behind the bag has become something of a fashion legend. PHOTO: EPA-EFE This is the original bag made in 1984 for Jane Birkin, the late icon of French cinema. The story behind the bag has become something of a fashion legend. She was on an Air France flight to London from Paris and had been upgraded to first class. The basket bag she carried, her signature for decades, was in poor shape. As she boarded the plane, the contents started to spill out: wallet, keys, business cards, diapers, glasses. Her seatmate happened to be Mr Jean-Louis Dumas, then chief executive of Hermes, the French luxury house founded by Thierry Hermes in 1837. Birkin and Mr Dumas talked about how she needed a bag that could fit all of her necessities, and they began to sketch out an idea on an airsickness bag. Their concept had two handles like a tote, and somewhat resembled a shrunken version of the Haut a Courroies luggage that Hermes made. Her custom bag became the prototype of the Birkin, which was named after her. The bag became desirable partly for its rarity. 'There are a limited number of them created each year,' Ms Halimi said. 'There is the craftsmanship: You can repair, restore and cherish it. And then, in a world of fast fashion and seasonal trends, it's not going to be out of style any time soon. If you are offered one to buy at Hermes, you feel like part of this small club.' The Birkin has become a fixture in pop culture since its inception, namechecked in many song lyrics. It also appeared as a plot line in a 2001 episode of romantic comedy series Sex And The City (1998 to 2004) that included the memorable line: 'It's not a bag, it's a Birkin.' This original bag is different in several ways from the commercially available Birkins. Its size is unique, with a height of just under 36cm and a depth of just under 41cm; its strap is not removable; the hardware is made of brass; the inner zipper is from a different manufacturer; and the studs on the bottom are a different shape. And one more detail: a nail clipper that Birkin had hung on the outside of the bag is included. She was known for not being precious with her Birkins. She covered some in stickers for political causes and frequently hung trinkets off them. On social media, fans have taken to posting their own charm-laden bags or phones, which some call 'Birkinifying'. Over the past year, imitations – or homages – of the bag have received attention online, including the most recent Boatkin, a new style that marries the design of the Birkin and the canvas material of American retail company L.L. Bean's Boat And Tote. But the original Birkin has remained a subject of intense fascination. It was exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art as part of the show Items: Is Fashion Modern?, which ran from 2017 to 2018, and again in 2020 at London's Victoria And Albert Museum as part of the exhibition Bags Inside Out. Sotheby's displayed it in the company's Paris galleries in October 2024, and at Sotheby's Maison, Hong Kong in April 2025 . Thousands of people came to see the bag at the Sotheby's showings, Ms Halimi said. Jane Birkin, who died in July 2023 at the age of 76, owned five Birkin bags over the course of her life, one of which sold for around US$160,000 (S$205,000) in a 2021 auction. Actress Jane Birkin's original Hermes Birkin on display at Sotheby's auction house in New York, US, on June 6. PHOTO: EPA-EFE This prototype, which has the added value of being the original, was sold by Birkin at a charity auction for Aids in October 1994. It went to auction again in May 2000, at Poulain-Le Fur, and was purchased by Ms Catherine Benier, a prominent collector and the owner of the Les 3 Marches de Catherine B vintage shop in Paris, for an undisclosed price. 'Acquiring the first Birkin from Hermes was a dream of mine as a collector,' Ms Benier wrote in an e-mail. She said she had read about the 1994 auction but did not participate, and was determined to win the 2000 auction when she heard about it in advance. 'I got the bag after fierce bidding between myself and other foreign bidders. It's the jewel in my collection.' The Birkin has become a fixture in pop culture since its inception, namechecked in many song lyrics. PHOTO: REUTERS Ms Benier kept the bag stored, but the crowds who visited it in 2024 influenced her decision to sell. 'A collection is only worth it if it's shared,' she wrote. She expects the bag to set records, but would not specify a desired number. 'Twenty-five years ago when I acquired it, it was already the most expensive bag in the world,' she wrote. 'All these elements fuel the legend of the first Birkin bag, so certainly a price exists, but what is it? This bag is the object of a lifetime, it's a legend, an icon. Does a legend have a price? Certainly.' NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
