Martha Stewart and the Hermes Birkin handbag

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FC:

Today after Martha Stewart was convicted on all counts and became a felon, punditry filled the airwaves, and it was suggested one of the mistakes made by Martha Stewart was her failure to connect with the jury, not only by failing to testify in her own defense, even though she is a seasoned, effective communicator, but also by portraying herself as a "rich ***," entering the courtroom on at least one occasion with an ultra-expensive highly fashionable handbag, the Hermes Birkin, which can declare its owner's wealth and status from a distance of 50 paces.

Eight of the 12 jurors who convicted Stewart were women. If you had been a juror, and you saw Martha with a Hermes, would you have held it against her, or asked her where you could get one?

Martha's Moneyed Bag Carries Too Much Baggage
By Robin Givhan
Washington Post
January 22, 2004
Martha Stewart arrived in federal court on Tuesday to begin her trial on charges that include conspiracy, obstruction of justice and securities fraud. She was carrying two handbags.
One appeared to be the typical working woman's carryall. It was made of dark, sturdy leather and was roomy enough to hold a significant amount of paperwork and the various electronic organizers that are part of a professional woman's arsenal. The bag, with its double handle and curved lines, was the sort of accessory a woman might carry if she wanted a tote that was softer and more versatile than a basic briefcase. If there was any subliminal message in her bag, it was that Stewart is a working woman, just like so many others.
The second bag was a warm shade of brown with a rounded double handle, tiny metal feet, a fold-over top and a beltlike closure that wrapped around its body. It was an Hermes Birkin handbag. And for a certain breed of woman, it is the handbag equivalent of a Rolls-Royce or a dozen illicit Cuban cigars. It is a bag that announces that one has achieved a breathtaking level of success. It can declare its owner's wealth and status from a distance of 50 paces.
The opening price for a Birkin is $6,000, according to a spokeswoman for the company. The most expensive version is $85,000. It is made of crocodile and has solid gold closures that are adorned with diamonds.

Perusing eBay in search of Birkin bags, one can find a version in matte brown crocodile priced at $22,999. The bag does not come with a matching car.
Stewart's handbag is more modest than that. It is at least 11 years old and is a favorite handbag because it is so roomy perfect for files, said one of the people in her camp. It closely resembles a camel-color leather version that's offered on eBay for $10,999. For such a significant outlay of dollars, one receives a bag that is handmade by artisans. Its hardware is gold-plated. It comes with a small padlock and keys. It was introduced in
1984 and named after the British film actress Jane Birkin, for whom it wasdesigned. And it is imbued with all of the status and mythology that Hermes can muster.
Women who are interested in purchasing a Birkin would do well to go to the Internet auction site to do their shopping. It is virtually impossible for the typical shopper even one brandishing a platinum American Express card or a large wad of cash to walk into an Hermes boutique and purchase a Birkin. The bag has a waiting list that has grown to the absurd length of 2 1/2 years and so the French company has closed it. Now there is a wait to get on the waiting list. Unless, of course, one is a celebrity with all of the privileges that affords.
The television show "Sex and the City" helped to thrust the Birkin and its lore into the consciousness of those outside its demographic. In one episode, the character of Samantha, played by Kim Cattrall, so desperately and impatiently yearns for a Birkin that she tells the Hermes publicity director in a foulmouthed tirade that she needs the bag for her client, the actress Lucy Liu, who plays herself. The waiting list is quickly dispensed with and a Birkin arrives in its full orange-boxed, cosseted glory.
For Stewart, carrying a bag that is surrounded by such a thick cloud of wealth and privilege was ill-advised. Appearances play too important a role in a jury trial. In Stewart's case, polls have shown that while some observers see a successful businesswoman who is unfairly under assault, others see an arrogant woman who believed that in her rise to the top she also rose above the law. Stewart's decision to accessorize her businesslike ensemble with a Birkin was the equivalent of a male mogul arriving at the courthouse with an expensive stogie clenched between his teeth. Stewart's Birkin was a hand-stitched symbol of the underlying issues the privileges of success that have so agitated her detractors. Her advisers have weighed in on a host of issues related to her image, but her choice of handbag was not among them.
Yesterday, her second day in court, the Birkin was not on display in front of the cameras. But Stewart had the bag with her and reportedly said that she plans to use it frequently throughout the trial. Eleven years ago, the Birkin was just an expensive, classic bag. For Stewart, it may have been a talisman of her hard work, dedication and perseverance. Now, she may see the bag simply as practical. But over time, the Birkin has become a cultural emblem of elitism, privilege and celebrity. It is the bag that money alone cannot buy. And it is a reminder to everyone else that those who are famous always seem to have the advantage.

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petunia:

To tell you the truth, while I certainly knew that it was an expensive and fashionable bag, I didn't know how much a Birkin bag cost until now because it's way out of my league and I'm not that interested in it frankly. I know Martha is rich, I wouldn't expect her to buy her purse at Old Navy, and it's not like she STOLE it, she purchased it with money she earned.

That dead animal she wore around her neck yesterday (a warm spring-like day to boot) was a worse faux-pas in my book.
petunia

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Charm:

Did anyone else notice the pink, $81K hermes bag on the last page of March Vogue? Now that's extravagant!
-charm

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ahmward:

[nq:1]Did anyone else notice the pink, $81K hermes bag on the last page ofMarch Vogue? Now that's extravagant! -charm[/nq]
How could anyone miss it? My question is what would one wear with it? Audrey

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Charm:

I know...I have no idea! I think if I owned such a thing I'd be so concerned for its safety I'd be unable to relax and enjoy myself.
-charm

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petunia:

You'd probably need one of those bodyguards who follow the stars around when they're wearing all that borrowed jewelry. I assume an $81K bag carries just a more expensive collection of the same junk we all carry in our bags - lip gloss, tissues, gum, old candy wrappers, tampax. Is there a more expensive version of tampax?
petunia

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beeswing:

[nq:2]How could anyone miss it? My question is what would one wear with it? Audrey[/nq]
If you have that muchmoney...anything you want to. Emotion: smile

beeswing

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Charm:

[nq:1]You'd probably need one of those bodyguards who follow the stars around when they're wearing all that borrowed jewelry. I ... our bags - lip gloss, tissues, gum, old candy wrappers, tampax. Is there a more expensive version of tampax? petunia[/nq]
Not that I know of, but a friend of mine gave me a Gucci Tampax holder at Xmas which might be worthy of an 81K Birkin, but I don't know. Maybe we need a new thread, "What would you keep in your 81K Birkin, if you had one?" I think I'd have to do a lot of culling from the contents of my purse. I think the fancy Birkin might not look kindly on me putting my monthly bus pass in it. There might have to be complete lifestyle changes, like, from public transit to car services and so forth.
-charm

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CoFarb:

[nq:1]You'd probably need one of those bodyguards who follow the stars aroundwhen they're wearing all that borrowed jewelry. I assume ... in ourbags - lip gloss, tissues, gum, old candy wrappers, tampax. Is there a more expensive version of tampax? petunia[/nq]
Chinchilla?
cofarb

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Carol:

[nq:1]Is there a more expensive version of tampax?[/nq]
Possibly a container for this adorned with genuine gemstones?? I have not seen this handbag, will buy the magazine now to check this out.

Carol

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Martha Stewart and the Hermes Birkin handbag

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