In the dynamic world of fashion, the iconic Hermès Birkin consistently retains its position atop the luxury hierarchy of brands and products. As famously said in Sex and the City: “It’s not a bag, it’s a Birkin.” To newer Hermès fans, it is the ultimate holy grail; and to long-time aficionados, the many exotic and special versions may claim that title. In other words, there’s a Birkin for everyone, assuming you can get it.
Image courtesy: @steffysstyle
Which is, in fact, the point. The Hermès Birkin is difficult to obtain from a Hermès boutique (unless you are a VVIP, and even then it is not assured). While generally priced high above other handbags (and the comfortable spending point of most luxury bag buyers), scarcity and exclusivity historically were the driving points of the Birkin’s success. Consider it a version of IYKYK – if you can get it you’re special. The price tag wasn’t necessarily the thing keeping the Birkin in its lofty luxury position. But, as other brands, in particular Chanel, hike their prices to near Birkin levels, the question is whether that is about to change.
Are we seeing a shift in Hermès’ pricing strategy for its Birkin? And should we expect it to continue?
Image courtesy: @clairerose
Before examining the pricing changes for the Birkin over the last five years, we note that, despite what many speculate, Hermès claims it makes pricing decisions based on cost, not popularity of style.
Read also:
Hermès Explains High Price Increases Despite Soaring Growth in 2023
Hermès Birkin Price Increases 2019-2024
We’ve compiled the Hermès pricing for the Birkin 25 and 30 in Togo leather, over the past five years in both the United States and Europe.
Birkin 25 Togo
| Year | Price USD | Yearly % Increase | Price € | Yearly % Increase |
| 2019 | $9,850 | 0% | €6,600 | 0% |
| 2020 | $9,850 | 0% | €6,800 | 3% |
| 2021 | $9,850 | 0% | €6,800 | 0% |
| 2022 | $10,100 | 2.5% | €7,400 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | $10,400 | 2.9% | €8,050 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | $11,400 | 9.6% | €8,600 | 6.8% |
Birkin 30 Togo
| Year | Price USD | Yearly % Increase | Price € | Yearly % Increase |
| 2019 | $10,900 | 0% | €7,550 | 0% |
| 2020 | $11,000 | 0.9% | €7,750 | 2.6% |
| 2021 | $11,000 | 0% | €7,750 | 0% |
| 2022 | $11,300 | 2.7% | €8,150 | 5.1% |
| 2023 | $11,600 | 2.6% | €8,900 | 9.2% |
| 2024 | $12,500 | 7.7% | €9,400 | 5.6% |
Unsurprisingly, the data reveals a continuing upward trend. However, it’s not quite a straight line, nor is it the same in the United States as it is in Europe.
How have Birkin Prices Changed in the Past 5 Years?
Let’s take a closer look at how Birkin prices have evolved over the past five years.
Image courtesy: @ncl.style.style
It’s no surprise that Hermès prices have risen – the prices of most items have. But, what was traditionally a 0-4% annual price increase was seemingly replaced in recent years by larger hikes. Moreover, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic likely cannot be underestimated, no doubt, at the time, reducing the production of Birkins as well as increasing costs. Hermès barely increased Birkin prices during the height of the global pandemic – in 2020 and 2021. As it changed prices beginning in 2022, there was something of a readjustment of European pricing, effectively reducing (but not eliminating) the benefit of non-European tourist shopping.
Read also:
The Surprising Original Price of Favorite Chanel Items in Your Closet
Hermès Explains High Price Increases Despite Soaring Growth in 2023
Looking at the changing prices over the five years as a whole, Birkin prices in the EU rose on a percentage basis twice as much as in the United States. In 2019, the US Birkin 25 price was $9,850. Today, the same bag now retails in US boutiques for $11,400, a 15.7% increase over five years. It’s a similar story with the Birkin 30, which has witnessed a price hike of 14.6% in the same time frame.
| Hermès Birkin | 2019 Price (USD) | January 2024 Price (USD) | Price Increase (USD) | Increase (%) |
| Birkin 25 | $9,850 | $11,400 | $1,550 | 15.7% |
| Birkin 30 | $10,900 | $12,500 | $1,600 | 14.6% |
In Europe, however, Birkin pricing increased more sharply over the five year time period. The Birkin 25 price rose over 30% – €2,000 – while the B30 increased by almost 25% during the same period.
| Hermès Birkin | 2019 Price (Euros) | January 2024 Price (Euros) | Price Increase (Euros) | Increase (%) |
| Birkin 25 | €6,600 | €8,600 | €2,000 | 30.3% |
| Birkin 30 | €7,550 | €9,400 | €1,850 | 24.5% |
As is evident from the first chart, the price increases between 2019 and 2024 did not occur in a straight line, with equal hikes each year in both locales. Instead, the largest upward shifts occurred in more recent years.
In 2022 Hermès hiked the EU Birkin prices at substantially higher rates than in the US. The EU B25 price rose 8.8% as compared to 2.5% in the US. For the B30, the percent difference in increase was nearly 2x – 5.1% in the EU and 2.5% in the US. This pattern repeated in 2023, where EU prices rose 8.7% and 9.2% for the B25 and B30 models, respectively, whereas prices for the same bags in the US increased 2.9% and 2.6%.
It was only in 2024 that Birkins received relatively similar price adjustments in both the US and the UK, with slightly greater price hikes in the US. This year the B25 and B30 price tags increased 9.6 and 7.7% respectively, as compared to 7.7 and 5.6% in Europe.
Image courtesy: @I_que_
Are Birkins Still A Bargain in the EU
Despite inevitable price adjustments in today’s market, pricing disparities between Europe and the US are expected to persist. Unlike Chanel, which aims for global price harmonization, Hermès continues, at least for now, to maintain lower prices in France and Europe, where its production facilities are centered. This difference in pricing structures means that Parisian (and European generally)prices often offer a competitive advantage for US shoppers, notwithstanding the recent price escalations.
Image courtesy: @franziskanazarenus
As seen in the below chart, Americans could potentially save over $2,000 purchasing the B25 and B30 in Europe. In other terms, maybe that’s the cost of a flight and hotel.
| Region | Birkin 25 Togo | Birkin 30 Togo |
| USA | $11,400 | $12,500 |
| Continental Europe | €8,600 | €9,400 |
| USD Equivalent ($) | $9,301 | $10,167 |
| Savings ($) | $2,099 | $2,333 |
€1=$1.08 as of July 9, 2024
Note that other factors could affect the savings potential. Americans may benefit from the VAT refund of approximately 10% of the retail price, which may be offset or exceeded by US duties when returning to and declaring the purchase in the United States. Purchases in the US may be subject to state sales tax, increasing the effective cost of purchasing at home.
Read also: Where are Hermès Bags Least Expensive After the Recent Price Increase 2024?
Bottom line: it’s still worth it for Americans to purchase Birkins in Europe. The problem, of course, is getting the leather appointment and the bag offer.
Anticipating Birkin Price Trends for 2025
Given the ongoing trend of escalating Birkin prices, one question looms large: What implications does this trend hold for prospective buyers in 2025?
Image courtesy: @misschangeychang
Forecasting the trajectory of Birkin prices requires careful consideration of several factors. First and foremost, the ongoing demand for these iconic bags shows no signs of waning and, likely it will continue. Similarly, although Hermès continues to bring additional leather production facilities online, demand will continue to outpace supply, whether due to an intended goal of exclusivity, inability to produce more, or both. Despite social media protestations to the contrary, few people have stopped dreaming of acquiring a Birkin.
Image courtesy: @victoria.ivancho
All of which leaves factors of cost, currency, international economy, and geopolitics, none of which has been accurately predicted by experts. In other words, expect Hermès prices to continue to climb. Whether another spike in high single digits is in the future, remains to be seen. Taking Hermès at its word, inflation and cost will be the driving forces in pricing changes.
Read related articles:
Breaking News: Global Chanel Price Increase 2024
The Birkin Premium Returns to Double Digits in 2024
The Surprising Original Price of Favorite Chanel Items in Your Closet
Where are Hermès Bags Least Expensive After the Recent Price Increase 2024?
Hermès Explains High Price Increases Despite Soaring Growth in 2023
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Updated: July 14th, 2024
Comments
2 Responses to “The New Hermès Pricing Trend”
This is crazy
Oh my I gave my Hermes Birkin away some time ago it was two toned brown and black and was starting to show a little wear. To see what your newer ones are worth when I had an earlier one some 25 years ago I am just speechless!