"According to Bernstein Research's Secondhand Pricing Tracker, the average resale premium for Birkin and Kelly bags-a metric representing the auction price compared to its retail cost-has fallen from 2.2 times its original value in 2022 to 1.4 times as of last month. That means a Birkin originally bought for $10,000 and resold in 2022 would have fetched for $22,200, while a bag originally retailing for the same price and resold at auction today would be worth about $14,000 on the resale market today."
"Birkin bags, prized by many for the exclusivity associated with buying the bag, became a pandemic resale darling as wealthy shopping unaffected by COVID-related economic woes, sought out the in-demand bag on the secondhand market, as Hermès produces a limited number of the accessory each year. However, 2025 has marked the end of a "luxury supercycle" according to Berenberg analysts, as consumers face headwinds like inflation, and retailers fail to woo aspirational shoppers."
Average resale premiums for Birkin and Kelly bags have fallen from 2.2 times retail in 2022 to 1.4 times recently, reducing potential resale profits. A Birkin bought for $10,000 that sold in 2022 would have fetched roughly $22,200, while the same retail price would resell for about $14,000 today. Birkins became pandemic resale darlings due to limited Hermès production and exclusivity requirements tied to loyal customers and sales-associate relationships. Analysts signal the end of a luxury supercycle in 2025 as inflation and weaker retailer outreach trim demand. Luxury market contraction further pressures aspirational Gen Z shoppers and speculative buying.
Read at Fortune
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