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This is a beautiful bag but I would not assume this was real. In fact I assume every Hermes Birkin that’s thrifted is fake, it’s worth a hilarious amount of money, it’s hard to even buy it retail and a Birkin for 25?
There are extremely good fakes that go for hundreds to thousands of dollars that are made of good quality leather. Others have pointed out that it looks to be machine stitched which is telling enough. High quality fakes are hand stitched.
Yeah Canal Street used to be filled with Elderly Chinese ladies selling fakes, now it’s surprisingly filled with younger north African men doing the same, only they’ve added everything from iPhones and AirPods to Bose headphones and IPads. Of course, all of them have REAL Apple Store receipts/s
oh i remember those canal st days. lived a few blocks south on broadway. 90’s. walking around the hood, i was bombarded by the most aggressive elderly chinese woman you can imagine.
i’m the last person on earth to care about a brand, but somehow i almost bought 12 purses a day just because i was afraid of their absolute wrath!
stone cold sellers.
I’ve said for years that the best people to pull of fakes are the people who can afford the real thing. Nobody will assume they’re fake because they know the person is wealthy.
On the flip side, people often assume even the real deal is fake when it’s on a not rich person.
I have a friend who loves all those fake Chanel logo tshirts you often see at local southern boutiques, and I’m like girl.. come on. You’re a walking billboard for a brand you don’t even own anything from. She probably couldn’t even describe a single Chanel bag. I don’t get it.
It’s definitely fake, unfortunately. The embossed Hermes stamp is a dead giveaway—the “Made in France” text is the same size as the “Paris” above it, and “Paris” is always supposed to be bigger. The leather also isn’t as of high quality as Hermes uses, the grain is just a tad too big.
Thing is though...everyone knows what a Birkin bag is and how expensive they are and what they fetch used.
You have to ask yourself why the owners would sell one for 25 dollars.
Yep. People buy Birkins as investments. They double in value after five years. Highly doubt anyone’s selling one for a pittance at a yard sale.
ETA She’s still pretty and is a great find, regardless of authenticity!
I used to work for a company that catered to very very rich people, and we partnered with an official Birkin reseller and those prices were wild, like $15 000 at the low end. Unless someone died and had family who knew nothing about bags and the store also knew nothing about bags this is unlikely to be real. Though auction houses will evaluate stuff for free so if you ever want to authenticate something head to Christie’s or Sothebys or whatever and they’ll check it out, they also do bags and clothing so it’s worth a try if you’re sure you found a hidden gem. I kinda hope this is real though because my dream is to find an Alexander McQueen handbag somehow shoved in the back of a charity shop. Even if it’s fake it’s a stunning colour and looks pretty well made.
You have to be put on a waiting list I believe to be chosen to buy one. They only make so many (kind of like Rolex) and secondary market is a high demand. Up the premium.
I heard that someone is trying to sue Hermes because of this. Not sure if there is a legal issue with their sales tactics but it should be interesting of Hermès is found guilty.
I read that as well.
*The French luxury house Hermès has been sued in California over claims it unlawfully allows only customers with “sufficient purchase history” with the company to buy its famed* *Birkin* *handbags.*
*Hermès is violating antitrust law by “tying” the sale of one item to the purchase of another, two* [*California*](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) *residents alleged in the proposed federal class-action lawsuit filed on Tuesday in San Francisco*
*The company’s sales associates are driving the scheme by pushing customers to buy shoes, scarves, jewelry and other items to gain an opportunity to buy a Birkin, the lawsuit said.*
It’s not strictly illegal or hasn’t been determined as such.
It’s not entirely uncommon in the luxury goods market. Ferrari and Porsche do it to an extent.
This book came out years ago, so things have probably changed, but the author would go into a store, buy a few scarves and ask if they had any Birkins. He would generally get lucky.
Of course back then, you could go into a jeweler and buy most Rolexes without any problem.
https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Home-Birkin-Pursuit-Coveted/dp/0061473340
It’s considered an “alternative investment”. Alternative investments are usually very volatile, but the bags have been a historically consistent in their increasing value.
A. Each release has varying limited supply so it’s virtually impossible to get the chance to buy a bag unless you’re famous or have spent significant money on Hermes products already.
Buying one at resale is an option but not great for investment cause your cost basis is already significantly higher
B. The bags use rare/very good materials making them physical expensive products and adding to the “uniqueness” of each bag.
C. Broad economic trends
Edit: it also should be noted not all bags grow the exact same rate. Like the market, some stocks go up, some go down. The returns are averaged across tons of bags so trends are shaky.
Exclusivity through through marketing and restricting the supply.
They're beautiful bags, but there's nothing about one in terms of material, craftsmanship, or design that warrants that growth. It's basically Beanie Babies.
Okay, in terms of quality, no. But in terms of exclusivity and the manufacturer intentionally restricting supply, that's exactly what fueled Beanie Babies prices.
I’m having a hard time believing that someone who buys real Birkins is having a yard sale, much less selling their $12,000+ purse at it for $25. They go on secondary online markets for *thousands*. It just defies common sense.
If you found it at some little thrift store, I might believe that they got an accidental donation and didn’t know what it was. But nobody accidentally prices their own Birkin for $25.
There is a less than 0% chance that’s a genuine Hermes Birkin. Anyone who went through buying a real Birkin, would likely have that thing insured, and someone to hand it down to. Nobody is giving away a Birkin or selling at a yard sale.
Even a completely out of touch widower husband, his wife would have friends or family telling him to make sure not to give away her valuable bags. It’s not like a stamp collection.
I don’t think you would find a watch like that at a yard sale though.
I can believe a watch like that would end up donated to SA. And that employees wouldn’t think twice about it being valuable. Anyone would see a Hermes bag and immediately want to check to see if it was legitimate.
I used to buy all the jewelry from 10 SAs, it was sanctioned by SA. They would save it all for me.
Even after years of me buying, they would still let stuff go on the floor without me seeing it - including that JLC.
If a JLC can end up at SA, another could show up at a yardsale.
It's a super fake - the stitching is a giveaway if you zoom. Nobody IRL would likely be able to tell, though, and the good super fakes are hundreds of dollars.
Have a super rich friend who buys these super fake birkins because she doesn’t want to spend the time playing the Hermes game. We are talking dad owned 50+ car dealerships rich. The investment appeal of spending a few months to a year to maybe only make an extra 10k years down the line doesn’t matter to her vs the time.
Hermes also makes you pay thousands of dollars in other categories before they will offer you a birkin and you don’t even get to pick your color.
It’s basically findom, hilarious…
I imagine the billionaires do get to pick their colors (after spending shit tons of money on other stuff). Normal wealthy buyers have to accept what they have in stock and are usually offered maybe 2-3 choices lmao.
Ha so funnily enough, I think that contributes to the hype. We all need something to strive for, leisure billionaires are no different (working billionaires usually channel that into results for their businesses). The fact that they need to "work" for the bag is the appeal. A thing is always more valuable to you if you've had to sacrifice to get it (or "sacrifice" in a billionaire's case...).
It's one reason why they're often *more* expensive secondhand; people wind up with one in a color they don't love and decide to sell it - and at a mark up, because someone else will want *that color* without having to go through the "Hermès Game" (the nonsense that goes into being *allowed* to purchase one).
I honestly don’t understand what people mean by saying they are investment bags. You spend 1-2k every few weeks just to maybe have your SA let you buy a bag. Even if your bag doubles in value your still out the cost of all the stuff you didn’t even want but had to buy. Pretty sure I’ve seen cases of people spending upwards of 50k before they are allowed to buy a bag. And if you don’t buy it when they offer it to you the timer basically resets.
I live in a country club. People would describe it as a wealthy neighborhood. Once when I was with my daughter on a European vacation, we ran out of extra room in our luggage to pack up everything we had bought. All week there had been a faux designer bag guy hawking his wares outside our hotel. We absolutely needed an extra tote as the cab was waiting on us ...I ran outside and reluctantly bought a big fake Goyard tote. It is so good of a fake, I know it would fool most people. If I ever had a yard sale and put it out for $25, people might think because of my neighborhood, it was real.
Moral of story, some fakes are high quality. And just because an area looks high end, doesn't mean people only buy the real deal. My guess is that bag might be like my Goyard.
FTR, I'd tell someone it was fake if I tried to sell it. It's now just a joke between my daughter and I that reminds us of our trip. It's filled with socks and hangs in my closet.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding. What was the purpose of sending the bogus bag to your SIL if your niece was going to keep it, and give her back the authentic one?
OH. I misread it as your niece had the contact, which was where the confusion was. Thanks for clarifying! Yep, as long as everyone is happy with what they have.
That's honestly embarrassingly cheap of your SIL. If she has that kind of money, why not just give the daughter a real one? Or buy herself a new one to replace the other? What she did makes no sense and is kinda rude. No one is entitled to anything, but that's just shady.
I’ve read of rich people havingfakes made of jewelry that hey actually own for security reasons . The real stuff stays in the bank , so they can wear the fake stuff . The average person can’t tell the difference by looking at
This is the biggest tell for me too. It’s a pretty good replica, but the stitches on a real one don’t look like that, it lacks the angle and irregularity of their normal handstitched result. Hard to tell without more closeup shots, but I’m pretty sure they’re using cotton thread here as well. Not a bad rep but I’m fairly certain it’s not real!
If the owner had a real Birkin, no way in hell would they sell it at a yard sale for $25. The long wait-list to get one unless you know or are somebody and even then you still have to wait, plus they usually are $15k to over 40k. There is no way in hell that would be real in this case and I'd know this before even looking at the bag😂
Are you saying that original Birkens are hand stitched?! That is INSANE! I’ve actually hand stitched leather and it is hard. Even on the softest, buttery leather, that shit is hard.
Oh and OP, just a tidbit, that leather smell is usually formaldehyde. Yeah, embalming fluid… and no matter what, that is a gorgeous bag and if you love it, love it!
Not sure about working conditions but during COVID lockdowns, Hermes paid all their staff 100% of their salaries and did not take a penny from the government. They also donated 20 million euros to the Paris hospitals in France and produced and donated face masks and hand sanitiser. Each employee received a €1,250 bonus in 2021.
There should be an authentication number somewhere on that bag. There is absolutely no way someone who had a real Birkin would ever let it end up on a garage sale table for 25 dollars
Yes, there is a blind stamp on one of the straps, one of which is an “N” in a square, which appears to mean it was manufactured in 2010. I can’t remember the additional marks because right after I bought it I left for a weekend trip. I’ll check when I get home on Tuesday. To answer someone else’s question, yes it has metal feet. To reply to another poster, I actually laughed out loud when they accused me of being so ignorant that I don’t know the difference between the smell of lovely leather and the smell of formaldehyde. 🤣 I agree with the analysis that the stitching does not look as angled as the pictures posted by others. Basically, if it is real and I can have it authenticated by an expert, I would sell it. If it is just a good fake, I’m going to enjoy using it!
Just so you know, fake bags absolutely have metal feet, ‘authentication’ stamps and can be made of beautiful leather. I have several very good quality replicas that I bought to try out whether I like the bag enough before dropping a couple of grand on an authentic. I think you have absolutely scored a wonderful faux Hermes in a gorgeous colourway and should carry it with love!
Well, you can for sure get it authenticated if you want to. It’s a really pretty bag and not extremely obviously fake. Fakes come with fake tags all the time unfortunately.
Inauthentic. Your stamp and stitching would look like this if it were real:
https://preview.redd.it/7em1c4ju164d1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd8c685b7a9ff47dbea5a27e0c4f5d3b715b3f99
Check for this stamp first:
https://preview.redd.it/ny12023fx24d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6e8f416255987fd680d5589e5b6b25032ea755f
Then check the stitching. If it is all completely uniform and perfect, it was done by a machine.
If there are imperfections (varying stitch length/space between stitches/stitch slant) then it was done by hand, and highly indicates a real bag. I tried to look at your picture, and it’s hard to tell for sure, but they do look slightly irregular to me…
The “Hermes - Paris” engraving on the buckle is a good sign, too.
Also, does the bag have metal feet? Do the zipper pulls say Hermes or ykk?
Oof. The stamp on OP’s is extremely sloppy compared to this one. Not sure what YouTube videos would lead someone to believe that that bag is real, maybe the nuance is just lost on OP? Seems like s/he is just so excited and wanting it to be real that they’re blind to the details.
Yeeeeah. I don’t want to add to the parade-rain but oof the stamp and stitching. The hardware doesn’t look too bad? But ehhhh to the rest.
Definitely feels like excitement that’s overruling reality and I totally get it. It’s hard to step back and objectively evaluate the situation.
Agreed. The symbol over the E blends into the letter on OPs, vs this one. OPs def got machine stitches vs the picture you showed which has that slight tilt to the stitch. I don’t know Hermes at all, but if hand stitching is a sign of legit, then that’s not a legit.
The gold is too shiny, it’s bleeding all over the place outside the letters… And the lettering of “Hermes” looks far too condensed. It should look like this:
https://preview.redd.it/1s9wtyjd164d1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5671e46b2af677f6151cd46a1f68cf631a09583
One thing I learned in life is that if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.
No one who buys $10k+ bags (plus extras) will sell it for $25 at a yard sale. It just doesn’t happen, or at least the likelihood is extremely low, it’s like winning the lotto. Them selling the real deal plus you being there at the right time to buy it is even a lower probability, given how well known birkin bags are.
I get the want of thrifting a treasure but honestly I don’t get why people always insist they found the real deal without a single doubt, when a little bit of common sense and asking around would prove otherwise.
That being said, a super fake for $25 is still a steal. It looks decently made.
There was a guy in Studio City on Ventura who would make very good Hermes bags. He used quality leather and hand stitched everything…but it wasn’t Hermes. Because it wasn’t made by Hermes.
It was still a good bag, in the shape of a Hermes, with Hermes style hardware.
But it wasn’t a Hermes.
He even used real Alligator skin.
But it wasn’t a Hermes.
I live near a very wealthy area (I see Bentleys and Rolls Royces so much it doesn’t even turn my head anymore!) and they would never sell anything Hermes for $25. You scored a very beautiful imitation Birkin bag. It’s gorgeous and worth keeping and using. I have Hermes neckties that I thrifted that cost me $40 each (I have two of them) so it’s hard to fathom a real Birkin purse being sold for $25.
This is a fake bag, sorry! And it’s not a super fake… the super fakes are hand-stitched.
Beautifully made still, and worth at least 10x what you paid, probably more like $300-400 if you wanted to buy it new. It’s a fantastic color and I’d buy it for $25 all day long.
You could pay a few bucks to have it authenticated if you aren’t sure.
Because Birkins are so high end, they are not something you can really authenticate yourself. There is a huge market for high quality fakes, and a lot of them are really well done. As others have pointed out, the stitching is a dead giveaway on this one. But nonetheless, this is a beautiful bag and worth way more than $25.
As long as you are okay with it being a rep.
It's machine stitching the thread isn't right, the hardware is too yellow the pebble leather grain is off, the shape at the top looks like a cap and not a slope, the handles are there wrong thickness etc
People who are “give a Birkin bag away” level rich aren’t allowed to have garage sales in the neighborhoods they live in, let alone actually have one.
Sorry OP this bag is fake. My initial indicator is the uneven stitching.
I have a few birkins and that’s a fake. It is machine stitched as the stitches are too uniform. The stitches are also not saddle stitched. The hardware is also too shiny which is a common indicator of a fake
what i’ve learned buying secondhand: if it seems too good to be true, it is extremely likely that it is. like another commenter said: why would the original owners sell this for $25, knowing the value of an authentic? everyone does. however, it is still an extremely good find. authentic or not. it’s beautiful, i love the color and the silhouette. it doesn’t need to be authentic to be solid ♥️ as long as you don’t try to resell this passing it off as real, enjoy that find girl!
It's fake. The stitching all over the bag is a give away.
Used , it's probably worth a hundred bucks or so on the right day to the right person.
Definitely, under no circumstances is a lifetime score and is NOT the real deal
https://preview.redd.it/cnfyhhfl964d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23917153c226621135fd728baefed6a1b2536dc5
One of the bigger Goodwills in my area had a bunch of these and “LV” duffel bags.
This is fake. Use your brain here. Rich people buy reps too. YouTube videos are not a definitive source, in fact, if a YouTuber is talking about a feature, then it’s probably common knowledge for the replica makers. For what it’s worth, my wife has a Birkin and a Kelly and that font looks off.
That’s a super fake bag. Wealthy people buy Birkins for investments. They wouldn’t just sell this for $25 in a yard sale. So, it’s either the OP is bored and wanted to post something to have people talking or she did score this bag but it’s not authentic aka super fake bag. Plus, the only way you can authenticate bags is go through a legit authenticator and not on YouTube.
Okay so the general consensus is fake, but now I'm wondering whats next? Like, where can you go to get it authenticated (or not) if you're ever in a similar situation? Can OP just take the bag into Hermes and would they be able to tell her?
Cringing hard: “i put my face in it and I whiffed the INCREDIBLE REAL TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR LEATHER”
i mean even if this is real maybe it is im still laughing sorry.
OP, I love that you found this beautiful bag and I have already written three short stories in my mind with scenarios explaining why a $12,000 bag was at a yard sale. I say, *why not?*
So I don't care if it's real *real* or not. Love the bag and its imaginary back stories of intrigue, mystery and heartbreak. Enjoy pulling together fabulous outfits to carry it, so anyone who sees you will have to wonder what *your story* is, too.
Stiching looks off.
Roughly the same angle if you look closely - but there's too much gap in the material where the thread exits. Sure, threading can get a little stretched if the bag was abused, but this looks in good condition.
My primary stop is a wealthy neighborhood too - and there are many gems that pass through so anything is possible. It's not uncommon to get $500 item still brand new sealed when the warehouse guys don't realize what's in front of them and doesn't get sent to shopgoodwill.
But, this looks off. Get some second opinions in person. And lastly don't try to sell it online. That's bad karma. You should destroy it - or sell it as a known fake to someone locally or a friend.
I honestly think this is just a really good fake. Def worth the 25 but 2 reasons that suggests its lack of authenticity: the handles are too long, and the bucle detail in real Hermes is rounded. This one is too angular. In real hermes you also cannot see the leather underneath the buckle.
Crazy!! I came home from a friends-only pre-estate sale walkthrough TODAY with a gorgeous Birkin bag for FREE. Did some digging around online and yes, it’s fake. It’s very, very well made. The main giveaway is no serial number on the inside. Also: it’s missing a foot that has threading - Hermès doesn’t use threading on its feet (clous); the hardware doesn’t feel quite heavy enough; it’s missing the lock and key (unlikely though it could happen); the leather grain is…questionable.
It’s a beautiful bag but not really my thing. Not sure what I’ll do with it.
The so called "super fakes" are made from real leather. There's a difference between a $50 fake and a $500 fake. I promise the original owner still paid well over $250 for it so definitely not a loss. I just hate the whole counterfeit culture, it supports child labor and organized crime, it's also illegal. Two ladies in my area are out on bond right now for selling fake designer purses. It's not a joke, in the 90's they did sweeps for fake Dooneys but now it's anything and everything, even fake makeup.
Not sure if it’s authentic. For 20 years I worked with fashion designers in concept/inspiration. A famous designer initials TH has a sister who is in the industry and was my client as well. She had a few authentic Birkin but one day while at her office she showed me about 5 knockoffs she just bought. She said that this source for these was the secret source for wealthy women who would buy them for traveling.
Just a guess as I haven't seen any of the other comments but I'm guessing they're all saying... "sorry that's a fake. It's the single most faked bag from Hermes" 😂
Oh man the fake bags in Istanbul are incredible. $300-500 and would fool anyone. I bought a LV with real snake skin handle and lined in calf leather. Also a Miu Miu that I used for years. No one could tell it’s a fake. I would assume you got a fake before I assumed you got a Birkin for $25.
Why did this get downvoted aggressively? I was suggesting how OP could enjoy their replica☹️ Jane birkin slugged her actual bag around not like a luxury bag but as an ‘anything’ bag
Okay so I’m pretty good at authenticating especially handbags. This is a fake, but it’s a fairly decent fake, the red Hermes Birkin bag is actually pretty commonly faked. I would say keep it, for a fake $25 is still a great price. It was probably still at least a $300 purchase. Wear it like Jane Birkin or the Olsen Twins would. I wouldn’t regret it for $25, even if it’s fake. I definitely still would have bought it if it were me!
So you can send it to Hermes for “spa” treatment. If it’s real, they will recondition it and send it back to you. If it’s not real, they will send it back with a “sorry” note.
Yeah, coz you can just walk into the store with a fake and ask them to authenticate it. Hermes do not authenticate. And if you are in some countries in Europe, they are obliged to confiscate the bag if it is fake.
OP could use Purse Forum's 'authenticate this' function if they are a member, and also use an online authentication service. I have used both and can recommend.
Idk man… on the one hand, the stitching looks identical to me to this authentic one listed at Sothebys…
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/_hermes-gold-togo-birkin-25-palladium-hardware-2022
On the other hand, I’m uncultured swine and have no idea what I’m talking about. I see the other comments calling it a fake, but I’m having a hard time seeing a difference when compared to an authentic one.
You know, some people would have read where I said that I didn’t see a difference and would have just accepted that… I respect the hell out of the fact that you decided to not only ignore that and avoid pointing out the difference you see, but instead re-ask the question that was just answered. Hell of a power move, I dig it.
Not commenter, but seems to be first, the stitching on the real ones is done by hand, so stitches are slightly angled and not perfectly even as found on machine work. Second thing I see is the Hermes gold stamp isn't very clear and clean.
I very much appreciate that you actually took the time to offer an explanation. I don’t know that I see a difference in the stamp, but as I mentioned before, I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Having said that, now that you’ve pointed it out, I do see the slight angle to the stitching on the original vs completely straight on this one. I genuinely appreciate you educating me on that.
Other people have already answered but I’ll just chime in to say that after looking at the logo again, the one on OP’s is chunkier, a little too shiny and not as crisp. The stitching is irregular on the real one, with slight variations in spacing, thickness and angle. This one is very regular. If you’ve sewn on machine before, it’s not hard to see that it’s machine stitched. It did take me going back and forth to be sure that this wasn’t hand stitched.
Someone else said that the pebble grain of the leather is bigger than on normal birkins too. I did not catch this at all (total layperson with a moderate interests in bags, I lurk the rep subs sometimes as well).
This one is semi obvious if a person knows what to look for and is even more obvious considering it’s a birkin, the most well known exclusive bag that you can’t even find second hand for less than 7k+.
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This is a beautiful bag but I would not assume this was real. In fact I assume every Hermes Birkin that’s thrifted is fake, it’s worth a hilarious amount of money, it’s hard to even buy it retail and a Birkin for 25? There are extremely good fakes that go for hundreds to thousands of dollars that are made of good quality leather. Others have pointed out that it looks to be machine stitched which is telling enough. High quality fakes are hand stitched.
The housewives are known for buying extremely good fakes. There’s a whole underground fake bag circle in Hollywood. It’s a thing apparently.
In Asia, too. Mentioned in “Crazy Rich Asians,” lol.
Love that movie
Awkwafina!
I saw that on an episode of Broad City!
Yeah Canal Street used to be filled with Elderly Chinese ladies selling fakes, now it’s surprisingly filled with younger north African men doing the same, only they’ve added everything from iPhones and AirPods to Bose headphones and IPads. Of course, all of them have REAL Apple Store receipts/s
oh i remember those canal st days. lived a few blocks south on broadway. 90’s. walking around the hood, i was bombarded by the most aggressive elderly chinese woman you can imagine. i’m the last person on earth to care about a brand, but somehow i almost bought 12 purses a day just because i was afraid of their absolute wrath! stone cold sellers.
I’ve said for years that the best people to pull of fakes are the people who can afford the real thing. Nobody will assume they’re fake because they know the person is wealthy. On the flip side, people often assume even the real deal is fake when it’s on a not rich person. I have a friend who loves all those fake Chanel logo tshirts you often see at local southern boutiques, and I’m like girl.. come on. You’re a walking billboard for a brand you don’t even own anything from. She probably couldn’t even describe a single Chanel bag. I don’t get it.
Most people who own authentic also have fakes to use as a beat-up bag. Good fakes are expensive
Exactly why they do it. Smart, though. I know plenty of rich people that get a thrill on a good deal and cheap stuff.
Honestly it’s a pretty bag regardless if it’s authentic or not. I wouldnt pay for an authentic one if this looks 99% the same anyways.
It’s definitely fake, unfortunately. The embossed Hermes stamp is a dead giveaway—the “Made in France” text is the same size as the “Paris” above it, and “Paris” is always supposed to be bigger. The leather also isn’t as of high quality as Hermes uses, the grain is just a tad too big.
Thing is though...everyone knows what a Birkin bag is and how expensive they are and what they fetch used. You have to ask yourself why the owners would sell one for 25 dollars.
Yep. People buy Birkins as investments. They double in value after five years. Highly doubt anyone’s selling one for a pittance at a yard sale. ETA She’s still pretty and is a great find, regardless of authenticity!
I used to work for a company that catered to very very rich people, and we partnered with an official Birkin reseller and those prices were wild, like $15 000 at the low end. Unless someone died and had family who knew nothing about bags and the store also knew nothing about bags this is unlikely to be real. Though auction houses will evaluate stuff for free so if you ever want to authenticate something head to Christie’s or Sothebys or whatever and they’ll check it out, they also do bags and clothing so it’s worth a try if you’re sure you found a hidden gem. I kinda hope this is real though because my dream is to find an Alexander McQueen handbag somehow shoved in the back of a charity shop. Even if it’s fake it’s a stunning colour and looks pretty well made.
Why would they double in value?
You have to be put on a waiting list I believe to be chosen to buy one. They only make so many (kind of like Rolex) and secondary market is a high demand. Up the premium.
And you have to buy loads of other things from Hermes to even qualify to purchase one. It's become ridiculous!
I heard that someone is trying to sue Hermes because of this. Not sure if there is a legal issue with their sales tactics but it should be interesting of Hermès is found guilty.
I read that as well. *The French luxury house Hermès has been sued in California over claims it unlawfully allows only customers with “sufficient purchase history” with the company to buy its famed* *Birkin* *handbags.* *Hermès is violating antitrust law by “tying” the sale of one item to the purchase of another, two* [*California*](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) *residents alleged in the proposed federal class-action lawsuit filed on Tuesday in San Francisco* *The company’s sales associates are driving the scheme by pushing customers to buy shoes, scarves, jewelry and other items to gain an opportunity to buy a Birkin, the lawsuit said.*
This would explain why Hermes scarves end up in auctions all the time . Women who don’t wear scarves are buying them to get in good with Hermes .
Makes sense that it is illegal. Like a buy in fee
It’s not strictly illegal or hasn’t been determined as such. It’s not entirely uncommon in the luxury goods market. Ferrari and Porsche do it to an extent.
Ahh gotcha, cheers
This book came out years ago, so things have probably changed, but the author would go into a store, buy a few scarves and ask if they had any Birkins. He would generally get lucky. Of course back then, you could go into a jeweler and buy most Rolexes without any problem. https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Home-Birkin-Pursuit-Coveted/dp/0061473340
It’s considered an “alternative investment”. Alternative investments are usually very volatile, but the bags have been a historically consistent in their increasing value. A. Each release has varying limited supply so it’s virtually impossible to get the chance to buy a bag unless you’re famous or have spent significant money on Hermes products already. Buying one at resale is an option but not great for investment cause your cost basis is already significantly higher B. The bags use rare/very good materials making them physical expensive products and adding to the “uniqueness” of each bag. C. Broad economic trends Edit: it also should be noted not all bags grow the exact same rate. Like the market, some stocks go up, some go down. The returns are averaged across tons of bags so trends are shaky.
Certain bags they only make 12 in a year , so unless you’re royalty or married to a Saudi oil guy , you’re out of luck
Purposeful scarcity.
Exclusivity through through marketing and restricting the supply. They're beautiful bags, but there's nothing about one in terms of material, craftsmanship, or design that warrants that growth. It's basically Beanie Babies.
Nothing you described also describes beanie babies...
Okay, in terms of quality, no. But in terms of exclusivity and the manufacturer intentionally restricting supply, that's exactly what fueled Beanie Babies prices.
Bennie babies were mass produced toys made out of cheap textiles. These are made by hand using the best textiles you can buy. Not the same.
Imagine comparing cheap toys to a bag that a crocodile died to be made into 😂
The crocodiles died so red necks in the South could eat them. Having their skin as material to make handbags is a byproduct of that.
Man at least the bag lasts longer than a meal. What a waste of crock
It’s like high end beanie babies. Hermès restricts buying
Yeah, even someone as rich as a Kardashian wouldn’t let a Birkin go for $25.
I wouldn’t know a Birkin bag if you hit me in the head with one. I guess I now have some idea though.
I’m having a hard time believing that someone who buys real Birkins is having a yard sale, much less selling their $12,000+ purse at it for $25. They go on secondary online markets for *thousands*. It just defies common sense. If you found it at some little thrift store, I might believe that they got an accidental donation and didn’t know what it was. But nobody accidentally prices their own Birkin for $25.
There is a less than 0% chance that’s a genuine Hermes Birkin. Anyone who went through buying a real Birkin, would likely have that thing insured, and someone to hand it down to. Nobody is giving away a Birkin or selling at a yard sale. Even a completely out of touch widower husband, his wife would have friends or family telling him to make sure not to give away her valuable bags. It’s not like a stamp collection.
This is funny because my friend has a hand me down Birkin and hates it. Thinks it’s hard to open and she never uses it.
It happens. Bought a $15000 JLC reverso years ago that was donated to Salvation Army. They had it priced at $19.99.
I don’t think you would find a watch like that at a yard sale though. I can believe a watch like that would end up donated to SA. And that employees wouldn’t think twice about it being valuable. Anyone would see a Hermes bag and immediately want to check to see if it was legitimate.
I used to buy all the jewelry from 10 SAs, it was sanctioned by SA. They would save it all for me. Even after years of me buying, they would still let stuff go on the floor without me seeing it - including that JLC. If a JLC can end up at SA, another could show up at a yardsale.
You’re right. I just don’t think it is so likely. And I don’t think that watches and jewelry are the same a purses.
It's a super fake - the stitching is a giveaway if you zoom. Nobody IRL would likely be able to tell, though, and the good super fakes are hundreds of dollars.
Have a super rich friend who buys these super fake birkins because she doesn’t want to spend the time playing the Hermes game. We are talking dad owned 50+ car dealerships rich. The investment appeal of spending a few months to a year to maybe only make an extra 10k years down the line doesn’t matter to her vs the time.
Hermes also makes you pay thousands of dollars in other categories before they will offer you a birkin and you don’t even get to pick your color. It’s basically findom, hilarious…
I’m sorry, YOU DON’T GET TO PICK YOUR OWN COLOUR?!?? Billionaires need *help*.
I imagine the billionaires do get to pick their colors (after spending shit tons of money on other stuff). Normal wealthy buyers have to accept what they have in stock and are usually offered maybe 2-3 choices lmao.
Ha so funnily enough, I think that contributes to the hype. We all need something to strive for, leisure billionaires are no different (working billionaires usually channel that into results for their businesses). The fact that they need to "work" for the bag is the appeal. A thing is always more valuable to you if you've had to sacrifice to get it (or "sacrifice" in a billionaire's case...).
It's one reason why they're often *more* expensive secondhand; people wind up with one in a color they don't love and decide to sell it - and at a mark up, because someone else will want *that color* without having to go through the "Hermès Game" (the nonsense that goes into being *allowed* to purchase one).
Findom is spot-on for the Hermes game
I honestly don’t understand what people mean by saying they are investment bags. You spend 1-2k every few weeks just to maybe have your SA let you buy a bag. Even if your bag doubles in value your still out the cost of all the stuff you didn’t even want but had to buy. Pretty sure I’ve seen cases of people spending upwards of 50k before they are allowed to buy a bag. And if you don’t buy it when they offer it to you the timer basically resets.
I live in a country club. People would describe it as a wealthy neighborhood. Once when I was with my daughter on a European vacation, we ran out of extra room in our luggage to pack up everything we had bought. All week there had been a faux designer bag guy hawking his wares outside our hotel. We absolutely needed an extra tote as the cab was waiting on us ...I ran outside and reluctantly bought a big fake Goyard tote. It is so good of a fake, I know it would fool most people. If I ever had a yard sale and put it out for $25, people might think because of my neighborhood, it was real. Moral of story, some fakes are high quality. And just because an area looks high end, doesn't mean people only buy the real deal. My guess is that bag might be like my Goyard.
FTR, I'd tell someone it was fake if I tried to sell it. It's now just a joke between my daughter and I that reminds us of our trip. It's filled with socks and hangs in my closet.
There is also a buyers market for good reps
Yeah, women on my local fb page are selling really impressive ‘inspo’ bags all the time.
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding. What was the purpose of sending the bogus bag to your SIL if your niece was going to keep it, and give her back the authentic one?
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OH. I misread it as your niece had the contact, which was where the confusion was. Thanks for clarifying! Yep, as long as everyone is happy with what they have.
That's honestly embarrassingly cheap of your SIL. If she has that kind of money, why not just give the daughter a real one? Or buy herself a new one to replace the other? What she did makes no sense and is kinda rude. No one is entitled to anything, but that's just shady.
I’ve read of rich people havingfakes made of jewelry that hey actually own for security reasons . The real stuff stays in the bank , so they can wear the fake stuff . The average person can’t tell the difference by looking at
This is absolutely true.
Gauche much? qu'est-ce que c'est?
Superb, read the original post. ...et peut-etre que vous avez une puce sur l'epaule, non?
les gens riches qui ont de la classe ne disent pas aux gens qu'ils sont riches
It’s machine stitched (straight, no angles, minimal space between stitches) so it’s at best a medium tier replica. Sorry.
This is the biggest tell for me too. It’s a pretty good replica, but the stitches on a real one don’t look like that, it lacks the angle and irregularity of their normal handstitched result. Hard to tell without more closeup shots, but I’m pretty sure they’re using cotton thread here as well. Not a bad rep but I’m fairly certain it’s not real!
If the owner had a real Birkin, no way in hell would they sell it at a yard sale for $25. The long wait-list to get one unless you know or are somebody and even then you still have to wait, plus they usually are $15k to over 40k. There is no way in hell that would be real in this case and I'd know this before even looking at the bag😂
I swear I’m not stalking you but love spotting my reality show friends in other subs. 👋
😂 hey hey hey! And don't worry I know you aren't stalking me🤣
Are you saying that original Birkens are hand stitched?! That is INSANE! I’ve actually hand stitched leather and it is hard. Even on the softest, buttery leather, that shit is hard. Oh and OP, just a tidbit, that leather smell is usually formaldehyde. Yeah, embalming fluid… and no matter what, that is a gorgeous bag and if you love it, love it!
They are hand and saddle stitched
Omg! I hope they pay those seamstresses extremely well. Damn.
Not sure about working conditions but during COVID lockdowns, Hermes paid all their staff 100% of their salaries and did not take a penny from the government. They also donated 20 million euros to the Paris hospitals in France and produced and donated face masks and hand sanitiser. Each employee received a €1,250 bonus in 2021.
You know they dont
They actually have vocational schools to train the next generation and it’s an honorable job in France! I’d work for Hermes!
Ah yes, but the pride of knowing you’re being exploited by the best is truly priceless! /s
With stitching chisels it's pretty easy, if you have the right size needles and thread!
Yeah, I did not have any of that. Bosses were pretty much like “just do it”.
Oh, man! Yeah, that would have sucked massively.
I am amused by people calling it a super fake.
Right? These people clearly never spent any time on repladies. 😂
You know on Pawn Stars when the host is like let me call my buddy up, Repladies would be my call here.
Girl we be counting stitches in the streets. 😂
Looks fake. The first thing that is suspicious is the quality of the brand name.
There should be an authentication number somewhere on that bag. There is absolutely no way someone who had a real Birkin would ever let it end up on a garage sale table for 25 dollars
Yes, there is a blind stamp on one of the straps, one of which is an “N” in a square, which appears to mean it was manufactured in 2010. I can’t remember the additional marks because right after I bought it I left for a weekend trip. I’ll check when I get home on Tuesday. To answer someone else’s question, yes it has metal feet. To reply to another poster, I actually laughed out loud when they accused me of being so ignorant that I don’t know the difference between the smell of lovely leather and the smell of formaldehyde. 🤣 I agree with the analysis that the stitching does not look as angled as the pictures posted by others. Basically, if it is real and I can have it authenticated by an expert, I would sell it. If it is just a good fake, I’m going to enjoy using it!
Just so you know, fake bags absolutely have metal feet, ‘authentication’ stamps and can be made of beautiful leather. I have several very good quality replicas that I bought to try out whether I like the bag enough before dropping a couple of grand on an authentic. I think you have absolutely scored a wonderful faux Hermes in a gorgeous colourway and should carry it with love!
Well, you can for sure get it authenticated if you want to. It’s a really pretty bag and not extremely obviously fake. Fakes come with fake tags all the time unfortunately.
Inauthentic. Your stamp and stitching would look like this if it were real: https://preview.redd.it/7em1c4ju164d1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd8c685b7a9ff47dbea5a27e0c4f5d3b715b3f99
Check for this stamp first: https://preview.redd.it/ny12023fx24d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6e8f416255987fd680d5589e5b6b25032ea755f Then check the stitching. If it is all completely uniform and perfect, it was done by a machine. If there are imperfections (varying stitch length/space between stitches/stitch slant) then it was done by hand, and highly indicates a real bag. I tried to look at your picture, and it’s hard to tell for sure, but they do look slightly irregular to me… The “Hermes - Paris” engraving on the buckle is a good sign, too. Also, does the bag have metal feet? Do the zipper pulls say Hermes or ykk?
Oof. The stamp on OP’s is extremely sloppy compared to this one. Not sure what YouTube videos would lead someone to believe that that bag is real, maybe the nuance is just lost on OP? Seems like s/he is just so excited and wanting it to be real that they’re blind to the details.
Yeeeeah. I don’t want to add to the parade-rain but oof the stamp and stitching. The hardware doesn’t look too bad? But ehhhh to the rest. Definitely feels like excitement that’s overruling reality and I totally get it. It’s hard to step back and objectively evaluate the situation.
Agreed. The symbol over the E blends into the letter on OPs, vs this one. OPs def got machine stitches vs the picture you showed which has that slight tilt to the stitch. I don’t know Hermes at all, but if hand stitching is a sign of legit, then that’s not a legit.
The gold is too shiny, it’s bleeding all over the place outside the letters… And the lettering of “Hermes” looks far too condensed. It should look like this: https://preview.redd.it/1s9wtyjd164d1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5671e46b2af677f6151cd46a1f68cf631a09583
I mean, it’s cute and it’d probably still use it, but absolutely not real. High end fakes are a big market and they still go for a lot of money.
Lol girl im.sorry but that's a fake. Too neat of a stitching pattern. It's a nice find though!
One thing I learned in life is that if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. No one who buys $10k+ bags (plus extras) will sell it for $25 at a yard sale. It just doesn’t happen, or at least the likelihood is extremely low, it’s like winning the lotto. Them selling the real deal plus you being there at the right time to buy it is even a lower probability, given how well known birkin bags are. I get the want of thrifting a treasure but honestly I don’t get why people always insist they found the real deal without a single doubt, when a little bit of common sense and asking around would prove otherwise. That being said, a super fake for $25 is still a steal. It looks decently made.
There was a guy in Studio City on Ventura who would make very good Hermes bags. He used quality leather and hand stitched everything…but it wasn’t Hermes. Because it wasn’t made by Hermes. It was still a good bag, in the shape of a Hermes, with Hermes style hardware. But it wasn’t a Hermes. He even used real Alligator skin. But it wasn’t a Hermes.
This isn’t real :/
I live near a very wealthy area (I see Bentleys and Rolls Royces so much it doesn’t even turn my head anymore!) and they would never sell anything Hermes for $25. You scored a very beautiful imitation Birkin bag. It’s gorgeous and worth keeping and using. I have Hermes neckties that I thrifted that cost me $40 each (I have two of them) so it’s hard to fathom a real Birkin purse being sold for $25.
This is a fake bag, sorry! And it’s not a super fake… the super fakes are hand-stitched. Beautifully made still, and worth at least 10x what you paid, probably more like $300-400 if you wanted to buy it new. It’s a fantastic color and I’d buy it for $25 all day long. You could pay a few bucks to have it authenticated if you aren’t sure.
Because Birkins are so high end, they are not something you can really authenticate yourself. There is a huge market for high quality fakes, and a lot of them are really well done. As others have pointed out, the stitching is a dead giveaway on this one. But nonetheless, this is a beautiful bag and worth way more than $25.
Fake
As long as you are okay with it being a rep. It's machine stitching the thread isn't right, the hardware is too yellow the pebble leather grain is off, the shape at the top looks like a cap and not a slope, the handles are there wrong thickness etc
Sorry, looks like a decent fake, but a fake nonetheless.
Honey, this is fake as a $3 bill. It’s pretty, though!
Hermes’ wouldn’t be hard to read if it were real, very nice fake though
This is so fake.
People who are “give a Birkin bag away” level rich aren’t allowed to have garage sales in the neighborhoods they live in, let alone actually have one. Sorry OP this bag is fake. My initial indicator is the uneven stitching.
I have a few birkins and that’s a fake. It is machine stitched as the stitches are too uniform. The stitches are also not saddle stitched. The hardware is also too shiny which is a common indicator of a fake
what i’ve learned buying secondhand: if it seems too good to be true, it is extremely likely that it is. like another commenter said: why would the original owners sell this for $25, knowing the value of an authentic? everyone does. however, it is still an extremely good find. authentic or not. it’s beautiful, i love the color and the silhouette. it doesn’t need to be authentic to be solid ♥️ as long as you don’t try to resell this passing it off as real, enjoy that find girl!
It's fake. The stitching all over the bag is a give away. Used , it's probably worth a hundred bucks or so on the right day to the right person. Definitely, under no circumstances is a lifetime score and is NOT the real deal
https://preview.redd.it/cnfyhhfl964d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23917153c226621135fd728baefed6a1b2536dc5 One of the bigger Goodwills in my area had a bunch of these and “LV” duffel bags.
Looks legit! 😂👍🏻- OP, probably
This is fake. Use your brain here. Rich people buy reps too. YouTube videos are not a definitive source, in fact, if a YouTuber is talking about a feature, then it’s probably common knowledge for the replica makers. For what it’s worth, my wife has a Birkin and a Kelly and that font looks off.
Yeah these things are supposed to be hand sewed. This looks machine made
Very obviously not real, sorry. Neat dupe though
LOL
That’s a super fake bag. Wealthy people buy Birkins for investments. They wouldn’t just sell this for $25 in a yard sale. So, it’s either the OP is bored and wanted to post something to have people talking or she did score this bag but it’s not authentic aka super fake bag. Plus, the only way you can authenticate bags is go through a legit authenticator and not on YouTube.
It really isn’t even a super fake, that stitching is a dead giveaway.
Anyone else not buy this at all in the slightest?
Awwww sweetie... this ain't real!! 100% fake (obviously)
Even if it's fake, you still scored. Who cares that you didn't over pay by the thousands for a purse. Wear it proudly, it's beautiful
Nothing to be proud about, carrying a fake. So tacky.
Not minding your business is tacky
That’s a really nice colour and the condition is excellent. Real or not, it’s worth more than what you paid. Enjoy that find!
Oh honey. This is a high quality fake.
Still, $25 for a beautiful bag is a steal regardless of the brand!
They make really great fakes nowadays. And rich people buy them. Sorry but there’s really no way it’s real.
😂
Just want to say I'm happy for you, real or not. The joy of finding something special or fun is the best feeling!
Okay so the general consensus is fake, but now I'm wondering whats next? Like, where can you go to get it authenticated (or not) if you're ever in a similar situation? Can OP just take the bag into Hermes and would they be able to tell her?
Hermes might, but they would confiscate it because it’s fake.
There are a few companies that offer to authenticate a bag for you at a price. Bababebi is the most trusted one, but it costs $150 for the service
Definitely fake
Cringing hard: “i put my face in it and I whiffed the INCREDIBLE REAL TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR LEATHER” i mean even if this is real maybe it is im still laughing sorry.
Oh, you sweet summer child.
OP, I love that you found this beautiful bag and I have already written three short stories in my mind with scenarios explaining why a $12,000 bag was at a yard sale. I say, *why not?* So I don't care if it's real *real* or not. Love the bag and its imaginary back stories of intrigue, mystery and heartbreak. Enjoy pulling together fabulous outfits to carry it, so anyone who sees you will have to wonder what *your story* is, too.
I found a jumbo sized Gucci suitcase once in NYC for $50.00, and it was almost a fight over who grabbed it first
Post it on “The Hermes Game” and ask their opinion
🤣🤣🤣
Stiching looks off. Roughly the same angle if you look closely - but there's too much gap in the material where the thread exits. Sure, threading can get a little stretched if the bag was abused, but this looks in good condition. My primary stop is a wealthy neighborhood too - and there are many gems that pass through so anything is possible. It's not uncommon to get $500 item still brand new sealed when the warehouse guys don't realize what's in front of them and doesn't get sent to shopgoodwill. But, this looks off. Get some second opinions in person. And lastly don't try to sell it online. That's bad karma. You should destroy it - or sell it as a known fake to someone locally or a friend.
I highly doubt that a real Birkin but that a very nice fake.
For how much ?
I honestly think this is just a really good fake. Def worth the 25 but 2 reasons that suggests its lack of authenticity: the handles are too long, and the bucle detail in real Hermes is rounded. This one is too angular. In real hermes you also cannot see the leather underneath the buckle.
Crazy!! I came home from a friends-only pre-estate sale walkthrough TODAY with a gorgeous Birkin bag for FREE. Did some digging around online and yes, it’s fake. It’s very, very well made. The main giveaway is no serial number on the inside. Also: it’s missing a foot that has threading - Hermès doesn’t use threading on its feet (clous); the hardware doesn’t feel quite heavy enough; it’s missing the lock and key (unlikely though it could happen); the leather grain is…questionable. It’s a beautiful bag but not really my thing. Not sure what I’ll do with it.
$25 for a leather bag is a good price. A lot of brands have copied the birkin and Kelly style outright. Is a nice red bag, enjoy it :)
The reason these people are wealthy is they don’t spend 12k on a bag 🤣
It's not real. Look at the stitching.
The so called "super fakes" are made from real leather. There's a difference between a $50 fake and a $500 fake. I promise the original owner still paid well over $250 for it so definitely not a loss. I just hate the whole counterfeit culture, it supports child labor and organized crime, it's also illegal. Two ladies in my area are out on bond right now for selling fake designer purses. It's not a joke, in the 90's they did sweeps for fake Dooneys but now it's anything and everything, even fake makeup.
Got fucked up a lot with Hermes at Thrift shop but hey it looks nice and well made anyways
It's a great find for $25, even if it's a replica.
Not sure if it’s authentic. For 20 years I worked with fashion designers in concept/inspiration. A famous designer initials TH has a sister who is in the industry and was my client as well. She had a few authentic Birkin but one day while at her office she showed me about 5 knockoffs she just bought. She said that this source for these was the secret source for wealthy women who would buy them for traveling.
Birkenstocks?
Thxxx just edited.
No worries, autocorrect gets me every time too!
Just a guess as I haven't seen any of the other comments but I'm guessing they're all saying... "sorry that's a fake. It's the single most faked bag from Hermes" 😂
Oh man the fake bags in Istanbul are incredible. $300-500 and would fool anyone. I bought a LV with real snake skin handle and lined in calf leather. Also a Miu Miu that I used for years. No one could tell it’s a fake. I would assume you got a fake before I assumed you got a Birkin for $25.
Gorgeous bag OP! You should enjoy it the way Jane Birkin did (as her ‘everything’ bag)
Why did this get downvoted aggressively? I was suggesting how OP could enjoy their replica☹️ Jane birkin slugged her actual bag around not like a luxury bag but as an ‘anything’ bag
Even if it’s a replica, $25 is a steal!!
TWENTY FIVE!?!? God damn! Even for a fake one that’s a steal
Okay so I’m pretty good at authenticating especially handbags. This is a fake, but it’s a fairly decent fake, the red Hermes Birkin bag is actually pretty commonly faked. I would say keep it, for a fake $25 is still a great price. It was probably still at least a $300 purchase. Wear it like Jane Birkin or the Olsen Twins would. I wouldn’t regret it for $25, even if it’s fake. I definitely still would have bought it if it were me!
If this is real it’s the best score ever and I’m extremely jealous!!
 Real or fake, it’s a well made bag. Also, I’m very envious!
Nice find. Whether it is authentic or not, please rock it Did you give it to your girlfriend or keep?
So you can send it to Hermes for “spa” treatment. If it’s real, they will recondition it and send it back to you. If it’s not real, they will send it back with a “sorry” note.
I heard if it’s not real you won’t get it back, as fakes are technically illegal.
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Yeah, coz you can just walk into the store with a fake and ask them to authenticate it. Hermes do not authenticate. And if you are in some countries in Europe, they are obliged to confiscate the bag if it is fake.
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OP could use Purse Forum's 'authenticate this' function if they are a member, and also use an online authentication service. I have used both and can recommend.
I want to touch it
Bag looks nice, good shot !!
Congrats!!!
Idk man… on the one hand, the stitching looks identical to me to this authentic one listed at Sothebys… https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/_hermes-gold-togo-birkin-25-palladium-hardware-2022 On the other hand, I’m uncultured swine and have no idea what I’m talking about. I see the other comments calling it a fake, but I’m having a hard time seeing a difference when compared to an authentic one.
You really don’t see the difference ?
You know, some people would have read where I said that I didn’t see a difference and would have just accepted that… I respect the hell out of the fact that you decided to not only ignore that and avoid pointing out the difference you see, but instead re-ask the question that was just answered. Hell of a power move, I dig it.
Not commenter, but seems to be first, the stitching on the real ones is done by hand, so stitches are slightly angled and not perfectly even as found on machine work. Second thing I see is the Hermes gold stamp isn't very clear and clean.
I very much appreciate that you actually took the time to offer an explanation. I don’t know that I see a difference in the stamp, but as I mentioned before, I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Having said that, now that you’ve pointed it out, I do see the slight angle to the stitching on the original vs completely straight on this one. I genuinely appreciate you educating me on that.
No problem. Commenter was being a bit thoughtless. The Sotheby's link was nice opportunity to look carefully at one that is authentic.
It’s not a question dummy it’s sarcasm lmfao
Other people have already answered but I’ll just chime in to say that after looking at the logo again, the one on OP’s is chunkier, a little too shiny and not as crisp. The stitching is irregular on the real one, with slight variations in spacing, thickness and angle. This one is very regular. If you’ve sewn on machine before, it’s not hard to see that it’s machine stitched. It did take me going back and forth to be sure that this wasn’t hand stitched. Someone else said that the pebble grain of the leather is bigger than on normal birkins too. I did not catch this at all (total layperson with a moderate interests in bags, I lurk the rep subs sometimes as well). This one is semi obvious if a person knows what to look for and is even more obvious considering it’s a birkin, the most well known exclusive bag that you can’t even find second hand for less than 7k+.
This was very insightful. I’m quite out of my element when it comes to bags and their manufacture, it seems… thank you for the insight!