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Sex and the City fans left STUNNED by shocking price of Samantha Jones' Hermes Birkin: 'I wish I could go back in time'
A lot has changed since Sex and the City first aired in 1998 - and since the series was released on Netflix last month, Gen Z is taking note of everything, from the price of the apartments, to the clothing choices, and even how much an Hermès Birkin bag cost at the time.
When Samantha Jones, the iconic character who was played by actress Kim Cattrall, was trying to hunt down a red 35cm Birkin bag during one episode, viewers were shocked to learn it would cost her just $4,000 - a far cry from its current starting price of about $13,500.
Unfortunately, Jones was also met with the news that in addition to the price, there was a five-year wait for the exclusive accessory.
To make matters worse, Samantha's attempt to snag the purse backfired - she tried to use her famous client's name (Lucy Liu) to skip the waitlist and keep it for herself, but the sales associate ended up gifting the Birkin directly to the Charlie's Angels star.
The saga took place during season four of the series, which debuted in August 2001 - and it turns out that a Birkin did, in fact, cost $4,000 during that time, according to Caroline Bui, also known as The Birkin Fairy, who runs a luxury consignment shop specializing in selling Hermès.
When Samantha Jones attempted to buy a Birkin during season four of Sex and the City, it only cost $4,000 - and came with a five-year waitlist
Recently, the clip of Jones begging for a Birkin made its way to TikTok, leaving fashion fans in total shock about the bag's $4,000 price tag.
'$4,000. That's a keychain now lol,' one person wrote.
Another typed, '4 grand omg could of invested in these.'
'Back when Birkins were obtainable,' someone else lamented.
'I wish I could go back in time when they were $4,000 because now they're insane,' a user concurred.
Others pointed out how different the in-store experience was now compared to the late '90s.
'They don't show you a Birkin just like that, the seller must wear gloves and they take you to a different room,' a fashion fan explained.
However, some may be surprised to learn that the Birkin bag initially cost far less than $4,000.
Unfortunately, Jones was also met with the news that in addition to the price, there was also a five-year waiting list for the bag
The saga took place during season four of the series, which debuted in August 2001 - and it turns out that a Birkin did, in fact, cost $4,000 during that time
The hit show first aired in 1998, and starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon
Fashion fans were shocked by the resurfaced Sex And The City clip, where Samantha wanted a Birkin that cost $4,000
According to Business Insider, the bag first sold for $2,000 in 1984, after it was inspired by actress Jane Birkin.
She came up with the design on an airplane, while she was seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, the CEO of Hermès at the time. Birkin sketched out the design on the back of a barf bag - and the rest was history.
The price continued to rise, reaching $5,000 in 2002, $9,000 in 2009, and by the time 2019 rolled around, a Birkin was $11,000, Bui told DailyMail.com.
Caroline Bui, known as The Birkin Fairy, told DailyMail.com all about the history of the Hermès Birkin
Nowadays, Birkin bags can go for far more than $11,000 - for example, the Diamond Himalaya Birkin 30 was sold for over $450,000 at Sotheby's in 2022.
'In the luxury sector, which heavily influences the resale market, an item's value is determined by more than just its physical characteristics,' Bui, who boasts more than two decades of expertise in the luxury and pre-owned luxury sector, told DailyMail.com.
The price of the bag isn't the only thing that's changed since that Sex in the City episode aired in 2001.
The waitlist no longer exists, and now, potential Birkin buyers need to work with a sales associate to build up a purchase history in order to gain access to the purse.
Nowadays, Birkin bags can cost thousands of dollars, and rare ones can be sold for even more
The price of the bag isn't the only thing that's changed since that Sex in the City episode aired in 2001
The Birkin first sold for $2,000 in 1984, after it was brought to life by actress Jane Birkin
The Birkin waitlist came to an end in 2010, and was replaced by a request system
'The waiting list was established before this SATC episode aired,' Bui shared.
'Because of the tight social networks in each city, it was important to create an effective and trustworthy distribution process.'
However, the five-year waiting list as seen on Sex and the City may have been a bit of a stretch.
'The waitlist varied from store to store, depending on key factors like the number of requests, the store size, how many bags were being allocated, and how fast they could be produced,' Bui revealed.
'I don't recall it being more than two to three years. For some, adding their name to the list was prestigious, even if they did not intend to buy it.'
The waitlist came to an end in 2010, and was replaced instead by a request system.
Luckily, this story has a happy ending, and Samantha ultimately procured her dream bag.
In the second Sex and the City Movie, which premiered in 2010, Jones bought the signature orange Birkin on the girls' trip to Abu Dhabi.
However, despite the highly-documented search for the elusive Birkin, it looks like the cast didn't get their hands on one - all of the bags used in filming were fake.