Skip to main content
Kim Kardashian at Kering's Caring for Women Dinner.
Kylie Jenner with Stormi and Timothée Chalamet on getaway.
Madonna at the Met Gala in stunning outfit.

Style

Hermes Australia Admits Birkin Bag Wait List Never Existed

April 30, 2010 by Eileen Conlan
shefinds | Style
Featured image
house unit img
Women Are Swapping Their Boring Water For This Ice Pop Electrolyte Mix!

The death of the Hermes Birkin bag waiting list caused a lot of stir, but according to Michael Tonello, author of “Bringing Home The Birkin,” a reporter from a U.K. magazine divulged to him yesterday that Hermes Australia confirmed there never was a waiting list. As Tonello says, the news is ” truly scandalous.” (We have to agree.) A New York rep for Hermes did not return phone calls.

Tonello, who traveled the world buying up Birkins and selling them on Ebay, tells us, “The only thing Hermes was ever ‘waiting’ for was for someone to drop a bunch of money on non-Birkin items, (like shoes, scarves and belts)  and then they’d offer them a Birkin, almost like a reward.  The woman suddenly feels like a VIP, and Hermes turns a very large sale by adding a $9,000 bag to it. Shameful, in my opinion.” Read our entire interview with Michael Tonello here.

Says Tonello, “If there truly was a ‘two year waiting list,’ how could they sell me and my associates hundreds of bags? After spending in the store, 99% of the time, we got one. What about all of those people waiting?” he asks, “Wasn’t the bag they just sold me already spoken for?”

If the waiting list was fashion myth, does that mean Samantha of Sex and The City lost her job as Lucy Liu’s publicist for no reason?

Skip the fussy boutique and buy your Birkin from Ebay, or Portero, or save your money and check out our guides to the best cheap handbags, and the best evening bags.

Author:

Kylie Jenner at Met Gala 2025 in black ensemble.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner pose together.
Summer's viral Italian bob hairstyle trend showcased on a model.
Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon at F1 World Premiere.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift spotted together at an event.
Amazon Prime Day promotional logo displayed on devices.
Britney Spears at the 4th Annual Hollywood Beauty Awards.
Six beauty habits that may cause skin inflammation explained.
Reese Witherspoon promoting Apple TV's "The Last Thing He Told Me."
Hillary Clinton at the Broadway opening night of "Suffs."
Kaia Gerber at the 41st Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Kylie Jenner at Acne Studios photocall during Paris Fashion Week.
Common hair mistakes that could be aging you, according to stylists.
Kim Kardashian enjoying time with her son Saint West.
Jaden Smith at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit.
Zendaya attending the Spider-Man "Brand New Day" photocall.
Best foundation types for mature skin to minimize fine lines.
Nicole Kidman speaking at Kering Women in Motion event.
Kimberly Guilfoyle visiting Thessaloniki as U.S. ambassador to Greece.
Melania Trump at Women's History Month event as First Lady.
Black and white image exploring celebrity fashion and style.