An Hermès bag is one of the most coveted and luxurious fashion accessories in the world. Purchasing it requires a lot of money and influence.
But fashion fans are now thinking twice after learning that some of the rarer designer wallets are actually made from elephant skin.
“I was years old today when I heard about the existence of ELEPHANTS skin Hermès Birkins and Kellys,” writer Louis Pisano shared on Xformerly known as Twitter.
Dozens of other shocked users then took to the comments to share their own thoughts on the rare, but controversial, bag.
“This is extremely unethical and disgusting,” one fashion fan declared.
‘Nahhhh elephants are my favorite, I’m definitely joining PETA ON THIS ONE!!’ another agreed.
‘What’s actually going on???!!!! Why?? Why just??? It makes me sick,” another shocked person wrote.
Although there is little information online about elephant skin bags, a 2017 piece in The Cut spoke to Hermès collector, seller and advisor Jane Angert of JaneFinds – a website that specializes in designer wallets.
Fashion fans are shocked to learn that some of the rarer bags are made from elephant skin
Angert confirmed in the piece the existence of bags made from elephant skin.
“The Hermès Kelly elephant skin bag was purchased at the Hôtel Drouot auction in Paris about 15 years ago,” she explained in an article.
“Our customer was a good friend of Jérôme Guerrand Hermès and he told him about its rarity, so he bought it for his collections,” she continued.
“This was the only elephant skin Kelly available on the market,” she continued. ‘This skin came from a safari in Africa in the 80s.’
According to the JaneFinds website, a black elephant skin bag from Hermès Kelly had sold for $35,000.
The Birkin cannot be purchased at an Hermès store without a prescription, with customers having to build up a shopping history with the brand to even get the chance to purchase it.
Most bags are made from materials such as crocodile and alligator skins, but also from luxurious leathers with beautiful names such as Tadelakt and Monsieur Grainee, with hand-making Birkin bags taking at least 18 hours.
The ‘base’ model costs around $11,400 before tax if purchased directly from Hermès, while special editions can run into the hundreds of thousands.
However, analysts told The Wall Street Journal that the expensive wallets only cost Hermès about $1,000 to make.
“I was years old today when I learned about the existence of ELEPHANTS skin Hermès Birkins and Kellys,” wrote Louis Pisano, sharing photos he saw on TikTok.
The elephant skin bags were reportedly made in the 1980s
According to Madison Avenue Couture, Birkin bags are made from the luxury leather that Hermès produces
Shocked users took to social media to share their thoughts on the rare, but controversial, bag
Dedicated shoppers have gone out of their way to get their hands on the limited edition wallets.
Insiders told the Journal from Hermès that shoppers will have to spend $10,000 on other goods such as shoes and scarves before being invited to buy a basic model.
To qualify for a rare, limited-edition wallet, Hermès regulars will have to spend around $200,000 on other items in the store, it is claimed.
According to Madison Avenue CoutureBirkin bags are made from the luxurious leathers that Hermès manufactures.
Even if the coveted offer is made, shoppers are shown one bag they are invited to and are not allowed to specify its color.
Anyone lucky enough to get their hands on an Hermès Birkin can sell it to an online reseller for around $23,000, and that retailer will then list it for around $32,000.
Lately, shoppers have been raving about Walmart’s $78 version of the Birkin bag.
The leather bag looks strikingly similar to a Birkin and is available in a range of colours, including olive green, black, elephant grey, emerald green and ivory white.