While most fashion trends manage to eke out little more than a “season” before hitting the trash, or at least the back of the wardrobe as yesterday’s news, some defy all odds and establish themselves as institutions in the fashion community.  Where forward thinking, classic design, excellent craftsmanship and intelligent placement in the public eye meet, little iconic legends are born.  In a world of fickle fashion rules, standing as the original exception is the Hermés Kelly bag.

Such an iconic fashion item starts its journey to the top by being sleek, stylish, timeless, and well made.  In the world of handbags, Hermés is celebrated for maintaining a line of products individually handmade by craftsmen that cut, stitch, and slave over each bag start to finish, one at a time.  When an artisan sets to work on such a creation, it can take anywhere from 18 to 24 hours to complete.  Short of a “we don’t sleep” Santa’s workshop scenario, the maintenance of these standards is the reason for the Hermés waitlists.  Buyers must order new Hermés Kelly, and, Kelly’s close cousin, Birkin bags directly from Hermés, in the face of a waitlist lasting anywhere from 1 to 6 years.  A delay like that in the fashion world certainly speaks to a look and style being timeless.  Anyone interested in skipping the waitlist should look into vintage Hermés Kelly bags, which, when in good condition, can run anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 US dollars.

Also known as the Sac à dépêches, the Hermés Kelly bag derives its common name from a photo snapped of former actress, and then new Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly clutching her one-day namesake in 1956.  While the handbag had existed since the 1930s, its popularity truly took off after this unplanned celebrity spotting.  Today, the bag can still be seen in the clutches of superstars including Christie Brinkley, Brooke Shields, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Victoria Beckham, the latter of whom reportedly owns a small museum’s worth of Hermés handbags valued at well over $2 million dollars.

Each lovingly made Hermés bag can be composed of a variety of precious metals and exotic leathers of the buyers’ choice, however, the price tag and wait time may be noted to rise at an exponential rate the farther off the “charted territory” zone the lucky lady wishes to wander.  Look for ultra-luxury specialty leathers from Hermés, including Floridian alligator, Thai Shark skin, Pakistani buffalo, Australian crocodile, Malaysian lizard, and an assortment of others like ostrich, goat, calf, deer and oxen from all around the globe.  Each bag can be ordered in a range of five different sizes from practical to teeny-tiny, and recognized by its signature metal-tipped clasp, which can be padlocked with a tiny key.

The high fashion house of Hermés began as a saddle shop, founded by Thierry Hermés in the year 1837 in Paris.  The designs still pay homage to the Hermés equestrian heritage, as does the logo which features a Duc carriage and horse.  With stores in fashion capitals around the world, customers can visit Hermés in person, or head to the website for the latest product information and fashions.

Hermes is a brand well known to anyone with an eye for labels and even the more fashionably apathetic people of the world have most likely heard the name once or twice. Any fan of “Sex and the City” will remember the bitter fight between Samantha and Lucy Liu over who had rightful claim to the highly coveted red Hermes Birkin handbag. As that episode so astutely pointed out there is at least a two year waiting list for someone to get their pretty little hands on a Birkin handbag. As the episode also demonstrates, if you know the right people your name can “magically” move its way up.

The Hermes Birkin handbag can be regarded as somewhat of a mythical creature due to its rarity and difficulty to obtain. In addition to the lengthy waiting list, the price, supply, and delivery dates of these delicate beauties intentionally keep them elusive and enticing. The average price of a Birkin handbag runs at the pretty penny of $7,500. This price tag is the general going rate, not including specially ordered handbags or those constructed of more rare, fine materials. While some people might scoff at the price, there are plenty of people out there with fancy sports cars that cost a tremendous amount more and rarely make it out of the driveway.

These beautifully crafted handbags are a way of celebrating personal success as well as applauding the fine designing ability of the Hermes experts. Each handbag is hand made, with at least forty-eight actual work hours going into each purse. The typical Birkin handbag is composed of beautiful leather and is lined with goat skin that is the same color as the exterior. The metallic decorations that adore these bags come in the form of buckle hardware, lock, keys, and feet studs made of precious metals such as gold and palladium. Once a special relationship has been formed between Hermes and a particular individual they can place special orders for more rare materials and décor for their handbag.

The most expensive material to use for a Hermes Birkin handbag is saltwater crocodile skin, with the price growing larger as the scales get smaller. The handbag can be further upgraded by adding precious stones such as diamonds to the outer hardware of the purse. With totally done up, special order Birkin handbags the price range is going to be more in the tens of thousands of dollars. For a true handbag aficionado this can be considered tantamount to a fine piece of artwork.

This particular style of handbag is named after the British singer and actress Jane Birkin who served as inspiration for the creation of this elaborately stylish purse. The actress has even admitted herself that the fame of the Birkin handbag greatly exceeds her own. Maintaining the status of this kind of handbag as very difficult to attain is where a large part of its appeal resides. They are only sold in Hermes boutiques around the world and the supply of handbags in each of these little stores is very limited. The massive waiting list is a pretty good indicator to the availability of these handbags, making the owner of one a heavily envied figure.

The elusiveness and elevated status of the bag translates to the status of the individual who possesses it. The association Hermes Birkin bags carry with them is that only the wealthy and important individuals in society can possess them. This appealing aspect of the handbag has lead to numerous attempts and recreating knock off imitations of the Birkin handbag, but there are telltale qualities that distinguish a true Birkin from an imposter. The bag must be carefully examined but a true Birkin should have even stitching, an interior leather zipper tag that is parallel to the zipper hardware, the crafstman’s initials and the year it was manufactured stamped in a square located under the right of the belt, and a stamp in the front that says “Hermes Paris, Made in France”.

While these may not be the most obvious of distinguishing marks, it is important that any handbag claiming to be a Birkin has all of them. The fine leather craftsmanship is not easy to replicate and this unique, highly skilled handiwork is exactly what makes Hermes Birkin handbags such desirable and cherished items. Vintage Birkin bags are passed down in families fortunate enough to have them, going from generation to generation.

The Hermes Birkin handbag has achieved a state of permanence at the top of the fashion world that all designers hope to achieve. The timelessness of the purses make them all the more desirable because they are not simply a flash in the pan trend, they are a concrete status symbol. Owning a Hermes Birkin bad sends the clear message that an individual has money as well as taste.  A hot young starlet can sport her beautiful crocodile skin Birkin handbag well into her twilight years and while her movies might fall out of style, her purse never will.

A bit more tangible than the Loch Ness Monster, and much more attractive, the Hermes Birkin handbag has an infamy all its own that will greatly outlast the fame and fortune of many of its owners, the few that there are. The scarcity in supply, fine craftsmanship, high price tag, and long waiting list are all elements in what keeps the Birkin bag so tempting and sought after. Along with a long list of musicians, actresses, and socialites, even politicians like Argentine president Cristina Kirchner are the proud owners of multiple Hermes Birkin handbags.

While they are still very difficult to attain and are pricey, Hermes needs to be careful that the Birkin bag retains its elusive appeal if it wants to stay at the top. With imitations getting better and better and with the young and fashionable getting richer and richer it seems that Birkin bags are becoming easier and easier to spot on the skinny little arms of the world’s popular culture elite. Hopefully this is just because the paparazzi are becoming more and more of a nuisance, whatever the cause, the Birkin handbag’s place at the top appears quite secure for the time being.

Doesn’t time fly? Now it’s time to prepare ourselves for what we’ll be buying, wearing and craving in Autumn & Winter 2009. Here’s what to expect:

Handheld

Clutch handbags are a key item for AW, which will take you smoothly into the Christmas party season. Chain handles are still an important look, although they will be wrapped around the hand rather than over the shoulder.

Don’t worry, for the hoarders among us, the oversized slouch is still very much about, but shorter, chunkier handles have evolved it into a handy grab – think doctors’ satchel look meets Mary Poppins’ capacity.

Tactile

It’s all about the look and feel, from butter soft slouch leathers, to squidgy quilting and studded hardware – you won’t be able to keep your hands off next season’s handbags.

Exotic Leathers

Whether it’s ostrich, snake or crocodile leather, expected to go safari next season with a range of exotic materials pioneered this season by Michael Kors. However, if you ask me, I’d much rather keep it mock-croc – blegh.

Vintage

Yester-year looks are still a big part of catwalk trends, although we’ll be travelling further back from the 70s & 80s inspired looks of S/S to the most sophisticated and classy styles of the first half of the 20^th century. Lanvin showed a beautiful collection of vintage box-shapes, while Hermes kept to what they knew best with a sumptuous Kelly & Birkin inspired range.

Quirky

Lagerfield at Chanel created a wonderful range of handbags complete with must-have contents (Ipod, headphones, perfume, lipstick, mirror & sunglasses) laminated into Perspex. Although, not the most practical thing to have graced the catwalk, I can’t wait to see how the clever people at Topshop translate the look into a wearable style for the High Street.

For the one lady we can always rely on for quirkiness, LuLu Guiness has released a new range to celebrate her 20^th anniversary, but for those of us who can’t afford the price tag, Accessorize at Monsoon do this cute alternative.

Embellishments & Detailing

I am overjoyed that those feminine touches that I’ve fallen in love with this season are here to stay for the rest of the year. All of you who invested in beads, buckles, pleats and bows have chosen wisely & if not, here’s the go-ahead to treat yourself to something pretty & girly.

80s Inspired Rock Chic

In contrast to above, faded denim, aged leather, buckles, studs and metal will all be red hot in Autumn & Winter. If you want to keep bang on-trend, inject your whole outfit with a laid-back Sienne Miller inspired vintage T-shirt & baggy jeans.

What exactly, is it, that makes an It bag, an It bag? What sort of brilliant combination of savvy marketing, glamour by mere celebrity association and outlandish price (the price tag of most It bags can easily be confused with a zip code) is at work to make these receptacles so cherished and desired?   Perhaps it’s the nomenclature—many of these bags sport delicate feminine names like Heloise, Beata and Mariah; still others are somewhat comically christened hobo, e.g. the Prada nappa guffre Antic hobo, while others remind you of a sweet, crunchy comestible, i.e. the Fendi Baguette. Or perhaps, it’s the tenuous lifespan; these things have a lifetime that equals that of a fly or moth. They are born and embark on a quick journey becoming blazingly popular, selling like pretty, leather hotcakes to those who could dish out a few grand, and then they die, just like that—one season they are in, the next they are simply out. Au revoir and auf wiedersehen. Whatever the reason for their alarming popularity, whether they be oversized clutches or elephantine tramp bags, named Zohara or Lachmin Pops, these purses own a high stake in the business of allure.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at the It bags of times past. Arguably, the first It bag craze was started with the birth of the Kelly bag, designed by fashion house Hermes for Grace Kelly, actress and princess extraordinaire. The bag became famous after making an appearance in Life Magazine in 1956. The actress was using it to hide her pregnant belly from the prying paps; it didn’t work, but it did give the crocodile skin bag some great press. This bag has been called the greatest bag of our time. Celebrities, socialites and Kelly fans rhapsodize about the bag’s elegance, timelessness and clean lines. There are waiting lists to get this bag.

From the Hermes Kelly, we move on to the Hermes Birkin. Named after actress and singer Jane Birkin, this bag has been spotted on the arms of Victoria Beckham, Katie Holmes, and Kate Moss among others. Reportedly, the bag got its name after Hermes executive Dumas, sat next to Ms. Birkin on a plane and she complained about not having a decent bag for weekend trips.

The Fendi Baguette (don’t you just love the name), came out in 1999 and it was really the first It bag to create a furvor; many deem it to be the original It bag, in fact. The bag, designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi was quite small in comparison to the mammoth sized bags so popular today. It was designed to be an expensive piece of arm candy that would spice up any outfit. Today there are more than 600 versions of the Baguette.

The Chanel 2.55 is a classic. Designed by Ms. Coco Chanel herself, the patchwork bag was the first of its kind to feature a strap, freeing one’s hands to be able to read a book or sip champagne. It contained several surreptitious pockets, which were purportedly where Chanel would keep her love letters along with some extra cash.

The Dior Saddle bag looks like a saddle. Despite, or perhaps, owing to its equestrian aesthetic, this bag flew off the shelves in 2000. The bag comes equipped with a stirrup, buckles and spurs. It was extremely popular amidst celebs, equestrian types, and socialites, among many others. Designed by John Galliano, the bag revolutionized the industry with its whimsical, off beat design.

The Balenciaga Lariat is a big bag. It was designed by Nicholas Ghesquiere and his inspirations were motorcycles, robots, French Classicism, biker girls and perhaps the blues. The designer reportedly dispatched thirty of his beloved Lariats to heavy weight contenders in the fashion industry: Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Chloe Sevigny and French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld, were among the lucky few.

The Luella Gisele is so named after Brazil’s top model, Gisele Bundchen. It’s a huge bag, with again an equestrian theme, although it’s not as horsey as the Galliano model. It comes equipped with a cute heart label; while the original was a tannish brown in color, again reminiscent of our equine friends, a more feminine pink and white are available.

2003 saw the arrival of the Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore. The mouthful of a name didn’t stop the crowds from going nuts over this It bag. Designed by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, this bag was sold out before it even hit the store floors. Apparently, Louis Vuitton’s phone lines were literally jammed with orders after the bags debuted on the catwalks. The bags feature the infamous LV logo in thirty three different colors. The handles are the only part made of leather, and yet these bags fetch a small fortune. This is probably the most copied bag in the world, which is ironic, considering Georges Vuitton invented the LV logo to prevent copyright infringement.

The Mulberry Roxanne, or Roxy as it is called by fans and devotees, is filled with some pretty obtrusive hardware—buckles, studs and a plethora of pockets. It came out in 2004 and, as was the wont of many companies of the day, a scarcity was staged to heighten the bag’s covetability.

The Chloe Paddington, named for the bear, perhaps, comes with a huge, cumbersome padlock which seems to say, I’m daring and eclectic, yet really, really trendy too. It’s basically shaped like a deconstructed doctor’s bag and is made entirely of leather. As with the Birkin and the Kelly, the waiting list for this beloved sack is quite long.

Marc Jacob’s Stam bag is so called after the Canadian model, Jessica Stam. It’s big and its billowy. It’s also chunky and teeming with useful little pockets, inside and out. It has a quilted exterior and a dolly bag fastening. It’s basically a composite of every It bag to date. Fans of the bag include ScarJo, Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan.

The YSL Muse is sleeker and more demure than its more recent It bag bedfellows. It’s usually always sold out too, adding to its mystique. Countless actresses and starlets have carried this bag proudly.

These luxury designer handbags offer their owners status; and unlike clothes, there is no fretting or crying over sizes. And while these bags seem absurdly priced and outrageously transient, they still have a load of devotees backing them. Market fatigue doesn’t seem to have set in quite yet.