Why Himalayan Bags are so valuable.
The main reason why Himalayan bags are so expensive is because of scarcity. Only the VIP customers of Hermes even has a chance to buy this coveted bag. The Himalaya is, for many Hermès lovers, the ultimate bag to own. They are highly collectible, increasing in value over time due to their rarity. Production of Himalaya bags have decreased as demand has increased.
The second main reason why they are valuable is that the bag itself acts as a status symbol. Only the richest people in the world own a Birkin bag. That’s because, only a few people can spend half a million dollars on a handbag. Because of that, there’s a lot of social influence surrounding Birkin bags. Taking photos with it can earn followers on social media. Since it has almost a cult-like following the price feeds into itself. The more coveted it is, the more people want it, and the more expensive the bag becomes.
The Himalayan features 18-karat white gold and 200 diamonds. The white gold and diamonds make up the hardware of the bag to provide structure, rigidity, and glamor. The Himalayan’s skin is made of Nilo crocodile. One misnomer that people have is that the name means the skin is derived from that area, but it is in reference to how it has been painstakingly dyed in a way to make it look like the snowcapped Himalaya mountains.
As you can see, the skin is a smoky grey/brown at the side – the bottom of the mountains – and it gradually gets lighter until it becomes a pearl white – representing the snow caps. This effect from dark brown/grey to white is a time consuming and arduous task and can only be done by a true Hermes artisan.
The Himalayan was first introduced as a Birkin. Responding to demand by collectors, Hermès introduced the Himalayan Kelly. Then eventually, they even offer Himalaya Orans.