When it comes to designer handbags, the Hermès Birkin bag is the top of any collectors’ list. The elegant simplicity of the design, combined with outstanding craftsmanship and the highest quality materials, are part of the reason of course. Maybe the rest can be put down to that elusive je ne sais quoi. Here’s a look at how the iconic bag came to be.

The story begins in 1984 with a chance encounter between the English singer and actress Jane Birkin, and the boss of Hermés fashion house, Jean-Louis Dumas. Birkin, a long-time French resident, has starred in films such as Blowup, and Kaleidoscope. She also sang on the controversial duet Je t’aime moi non plus with former partner Serge Gainsborough.

After Birkin expressed dissatisfaction with her travel holdall on the flight, Dumas decided to create the ultimate marriage of form and function in a handbag. The result was the design classic that is universally regarded as a luxury lifestyle accessory today, as much as a piece of travel luggage.

The rarity value of genuine Birkin bags adds to their exclusivity, and they change hands in the auction houses of the world for thousands of pounds. They are available in a range of sizes and materials, and they can be custom-ordered to include special details, such as diamond fixtures, or bespoke colours.

There is apparently a six-year waiting list for the highly desirable handbag, and its sister, the Kelly. The latter is named for the beautiful Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly the actress Grace Kelly, who tragically died in a car accident at the age of 52.

However, for those who want to pay tribute to this celebrated fashion item, there is an opportunity to commission your own resin Artbag sculpture. These beautiful hand-crafted items take the clear resin as a blank canvas to display the contents of the bag.