Birkin

WHAT: Pre-owned Hermes Online Sample Sale @ BeyondtheRack

WHY: Pre-owned Hermes Handbags up to 80% off!

WHEN: 2/1 11am – 2/3 11am

WHERE: BeyondtheRack.com

*To sign up & access the sales, please click here.

Designer Brands At Exclusive Prices – Save Up To 80% Off Retail!
Invitation Code: WINTER2013

Outside of an elite minority of buyers, iconic handbags in the five or six digit price range are an unrealistic splurge for many. Fair enough. Spending over 10 grand on a bag — more than a year’s worth of rent in my case — seems an eager display of extraordinary affluence.

Still, many argue — and prove their point via purchases — that owning a well made, coveted designer handbag is a worthy investment. (Granted, bags that sit comfortably in the three to four digit retail range are more often procured than their exorbitant 10k to 500k brethren.)

I’m not here to preach or even to sell you a bag, but I will say that splurging on certain handbags makes sense. Especially if you are fashion forward and appreciate the creative genius behind quality products.

Keep in mind that, yes, bags serve a utilitarian purpose, but they’re also art. Art that’s viewed by most everyone who passes you by on the street, as opposed to art that hangs on walls and is only viewed by the few who visit your home.

“While the dress goes out of style — or gets stained if it’s me we’re talking about — and a shoe gets ruined while running for the bus, a bag could really be forever,” notes Mirela, Stylish City founder and Upper East Side shopping ambassador. “Why not invest in something that really says who you want to be, as sometimes [bags] really are aspirational pieces.”

Speaking of investing in something that tells the world who you are (or who you want to be), we’ve rounded up eight of the most iconic handbags to date. Some have more history than others, but all are prized by the world’s most fashion savvy veterans. Based on the bag’s appearance, history, price range and celebrities who carry it, we’ve generated a mini profile about the person who chooses to carry each bag.

Hermès Birkin

About the Bag: Hermès designed this bag in 1981 for English singer and actress Jane Birkin. Legend has it that Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Birkin on a Paris to London flight when the contents of her current bag took a spill. After explaining that she couldn’t find a suitable leather weekend bag, Dumas created the now world-renowned Birkin bag.

Celebs Who Carry It: Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, Rachel Zoe, Katie Holmes

What it Says About You: The Birkin bag was created as a weekend tote, so it’s large. In addition to being large in size and price, this bag also has a larger than life reputation. As a result, women who carry the Birkin most likely enjoy standing out in a crowd, clearly care about the way they’re perceived and are often high maintenance. The bag’s sophisticated, streamlined design also shows that the woman who wears it is confident and isn’t afraid to stand her ground.

Balenciaga City Motorcycle

About the Bag: At over 10 years old, Balenciaga’s City Motorcycle bag remains a treasured favorite to celebrities and fashion icons across the world. It features a naturally distressed leather exterior — available in just about every color under the sun — and a hearty supply of pockets, tassels, studs and buckles.

Celebs Who Carry It: Khloe Kardashian, Christina Aguilera, Tori Spelling

What it Says About You: The owner of a Balenciaga City Motorcycle bag is a chick with an ultra tough exterior and style sense that’s easy, relaxed and downright cool. Despite her hard shell, though, the City Motorcycle owner has a soft heart. As a result, she’s easily moved by heartwarming stories, romantic gestures and charitable deeds.

To Be Continued………

By Wendy Rose Gould