In 1981, Hermès chief executiveJean-Louis Dumaswas seated next toJane Birkinon a flight from Paris to London. She had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the deck, leaving her to scramble to replace them. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In 1984, he created ablack supple leather bag for her, based on an 1982 design. She used the bag for herselfthen later changed her mind because she was carrying too many things in it: “What’s the use of having a second one?” she laughs. “You only need one and that busts your arm; they’re bloody heavy. I’m going to have to have an operation fortendonitisin the shoulder.”Nevertheless, the bag has since become an icon.
