The Complete Guide to the Hermès Birkin 20 Faubourg

Hermès was started in 1837 by harness maker Thierry Hermès, but it wasn’t until his son, Charles-Émile Hermès’ time that the company took up residence at the now famous address. 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré has been Hermès’ flagship boutique ever since. Located in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris, the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré wasn’t incorporated into the city limits until 1860, having previously served for over a thousand years as a passage extending northwest from the Louvre out to the Forêt de Rouvray, which today still exists in part as the Bois de Boulogne. In 1880 Charles-Émile moved the Hermès workshops to number 24, and in 1889 opened a boutique at the same location. Originally rented, Charles-Émile’s son Émile-Maurice was later able to buy the property. In 1978 the neighboring building at No. 26 was purchased as well and the flagship location enlarged into it. By 1992 most of the workshops at this location had moved to the new state-of-the-art facilities in Pantin. In 2007 the boutique was again enlarged into No. 28, and to this day is the largest Hermès boutique in the world.

In 2019 Hermès released the first Faubourg Birkins, capturing the architectural essence of the iconic Flagship. They were an instant hit with collectors and continue to be among the most sought-after handbags on the market today. The first two Faubourg Birkins produced featured Day and Night colorations. Matte Alligator flaps atop Madame calfskin bodies, decorated with Swift window frames, Epsom glass and a Sombrero leather base. The awnings on all Faubourg Birkins are done in the brand’s iconic color: Orange H Swift, which matches the little Hermès shopping bag that replaces the key-holding clochette. Topped with Palladium hardware, this was the first iteration of a 20cm Birkin to be produced, and in Sellier construction nonetheless.

In 2021 two new versions of the Faubourg Birkin were released: a Midnight or  Minuit edition done in almost all black, featuring PVD hardware reminiscent of that used in the So Black collection, and a snowy white version with a body of Matte Alligator and a flap in White Togo. The windows of the Neige Snow Faubourg are a frosty Blue Brume Chevre. Collecting all four of these adorable editions is referred to as a Place de Faubourg or Faubourg Square. In China the group is known as a Beijing Courtyard.

In 2024, Hermès released a new leather only Birkin Faubourg called the Birkin Disco Faubourg. The Birkin 20 is in black box leather with a graffiti-inspired facade that mimics the iconic store front design in white. The Disco Faubourg has palladium hardware and replaces the tradiitonal padlock for a disco ball charm. In 2024, we also saw the first Rainy Days Birkin Faubourg. This variation is most similar to the original Birkin Faubourgs except the color. The matte alligator flap is Gris Ciment and the body of the bag is Gris Misty Epsom leather. It also has palladium hardware and signature organge H swift awnings. This bag is reportedly $30,000 at Hermès and as expected this bag will be made in very limited quantities. Sotheby's has not had either of these newest variations have been sold at Sotheby's yet. Secondary market prices for either of these bags is hard to predict but a 3-4x retail premium is a reasonable minimum expectation given older Faubourg Birkin premiums in 2024.

The Faubourg Birkin Bags are among the most expensive Birkin bags on the secondary market due to rarity and demand. While the Himalaya Birkin is more well known since it has been in production since 2008 and comes in multiple sizes, the Faubourg is increasingly becoming the must have Birikin bag for collectors. The Faubourg Birkin is also known as the "House Birkin" due to its unique storefront design. The Day, Night and Midnight Faubourg Birkins with matte aligator flaps retail for about $30,000 while the Snow Faubourg Birkin with Matte Alligator body is $48,000. In 2021, Sotheby's sold an Hermès Day Faubourg Birkin for $180,190 in Hong Kong and Night Faubourg Birkin for $167,000. The Snow Faubourg Birkin sold for nearly $400,000 in early 2022 via private sale. Prices appear to have come down slightly as more bags become available in the secondary market but the Snow Faubourg remains the most expensive. In 2024, a Snow Faubourg Birkin 20 sold for over $200,000 in HK and Paris or about 4x the original retail price. The Midnight Faubourg Birkin 20 in 2024 sold for about $130,000 in Geneva and about $180,000 in HK at auction. The impressive over 4x multiple to retail is at the top of all Birkin premiums on the secondary market.

Sotheby's can assist with buying or selling your next Hermès Birkin. Sotheby's handbag auctions feature rare and collectible Birkin bag and classic leather Birkins. We also have a carefully curated selection of Birkin bags in pristine and excellent condition, available for immediate shipping. Expect to find the most popular Hermès Birkins in leather and exotic materials, new colors with 2024 date stamps, classic neutrals in all sizes and rare limited edition bags. We accept Birkin bags for consignment at auction and marketplace. Prices for Birkin bags range from $20,000 to $35,000 for leather while exotic Birkin bags are generally priced at $40,000. The price of the Himalaya Birkin bags start at over $100,000.

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