Sac Birkin 30 En Chèvre Métallisé Cuivre, Garniture En Métal Doré.

The bag, crafted in 2005, was inspired by the famous window displays designed by Leïla Menchari for the Hermès flagship store at 24, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. Menchari, who began working at Hermès in 1961, oversaw the design and installation of the house’s windows from 1978 to 2013. Her wide-ranging, elaborate set pieces included aluminum horses, mother-of-pearl Moroccan souks and grottoes, and cobwebs made of glistening thread. All of Menchari’s windows contained co-ordinated Hermès bags: steel Kellys for her Trojan horse windows; pieces in iridescent sea-foam green crocodile for her grotto; fretwork lace Birkins for her Alhambra; metallic leather for her Rococo creations. Produced by Hermès craftsmen in the house’s atelier in Pantin, France, according to Menchari’s exacting requirements, the bags were not available for sale.

Subsequently, Hermès released a range of metallics as part of its Mondore collection. Intended exclusively for VIP clients, the line has since been discontinued. This extremely delicate bag from that collection was produced in very limited quantities. To produce the metallic bronze color Hermès craftsmen add so much coloring that the resulting texture differs from the usual chèvre material.

The market for Birkins in smaller sizes (25cm/30cm) has strengthened, and collectors have become more aware of the existence of the rare metallic range, the metallic leather Birkin 30 has become hugely coveted by Hermès aficionados. Acquired by a collector in 2006 and showing no sign of wear, the value of this Birkin will only increase over time, says JF. “I couldn’t believe how stunning the metallic effect is in real life. I was absolutely floored by the sophistication of details. Clearly considered a work of art.” JF

Color: Metallic Bronze
Size: 30cm
Hardware: Gold
Height: 9" Width: 12" Depth: 6.5"
Condition: Pristine
Collection: 2005