Birkin bag: Creating fashion’s iconic accessory

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In 1985, one the world’s most recognisable fashion accessories was first launched – the Birkin handbag. Its origins have since become legend. The actress and model Jane Birkin said she was on a flight to London when her bag and contents spilt over the floor. The passenger sitting next to her remarked that she needed a bigger bag, and offered to make it for her. His name was Jean-Louis Dumas, then chief executive of the leather goods company, Hermès. The design was sketched on the plane’s sickbag, and the resulting leather holdall was christened the Birkin, after its inspiration. Today, the price tag ranges from a few thousand dollars to more than $200,000 for limited design versions, and it's often seen on the arms of celebrities and socialites. Jane Wilkinson looks back at its history, using BBC archive. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space. (Photo: The original Birkin bag made from black leather, has two short handles and a long handle and a leather flap across the top, with a leather strap detail and a gold clasp. Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)