If you are in the market for an exclusive status symbol to carry stuff around in, and you can afford the minimum bid, you are in luck
The government of Canada is auctioning off a wildly expensive luxury French purse made from endangered crocodile skin, worth as much as a mid-sized car.
The Birkin bag in the matte Gris Elephant colour was made in Paris in 2011, part of the iconic line from fashion house Hermès. It came into the government’s possession five years ago, when it was seized by court order as part of a forfeiture. It has been kept in secure storage ever since. This particular bag is in nearly pristine condition, as if it had barely been used, with only a minor scratch on the interior lining. It includes a letter from a Hermès executive on Madison Avenue in New York certifying its last known retail value. But it does not include the traditional accompaniments, such as a Hermès box, ribbon, or rain protector.
The astonishing prices reflect not only the popularity of the Birkin design among high-rollers who buy real ones for tens of thousands of dollars, but also the aspirational quality that has seen the Birkin very frequently copied, sometimes leading to legal action. But the crocodile Birkin is not without scandal. Birkin herself asked in 2015 for her name to be removed from the crocodile version after learning how crocodiles were treated in its production, from a video of a Texan crocodile farm by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Canada gets challenging draw for HSBC Canada Sevens with Fiji, Samoa and KenyaCanada’s goal is to finish in the top two of its pool, so as to advance to the elite Cup quarter-finals
Read more »
Canada gets challenging draw for HSBC Canada Sevens at B.C. Place StadiumCanada has been placed in Pool B with Olympic and defending Vancouver champion Fiji, Samoa and Kenya.
Read more »
Western Canada braces for extreme cold, Atlantic Canada prepares for more snowParts of Western Canada are bracing for extreme cold temperatures, with wind chills of -50 C expected in some area, while Atlantic Canada is preparing for a blasting of up to 40 cm of snow.
Read more »
Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou files lawsuit alleging breach of constitutional rightsCanada Border Services, RCMP and the Government of Canada named in claim that also seeks damages
Read more »
B.C. counsellor wants Health Canada to approve psilocybin to treat death anxietyVictoria counsellor part of a team that wants to use the psychedelic drug psilocybin to treat people who suffer from acute death anxiety.
Read more »
Huawei's Security Risks Outweigh Its Investment In Canada (Blog)The company announced it will create 200 jobs, but that doesn't mean it has Canada's best interests in mind.
Read more »
Canada Games athletes Hart, Davis not allowing cystic fibrosis to slow them downThey are two athletes living 6,000 km apart. But in Red Deer, Katie Hart and Cameron Davis are sharing the same national stage. Away from the ring and gym, Hart and Davis share a common bond, one that sets them apart from the other 3,600 athletes competing at the Canada Games. Paul Hollingsworth has more.
Read more »
Canada, Mexico divided on Venezuela amid united push for new NAFTACanada and Mexico may be united in wanting to bring closure to North America's unresolved trading future, but they are diametrically opposed on how to solve Venezuela's political and economic crisis.
Read more »
Canada has questions to answer on judicial independence, China saysTrudeau’s domestic troubles have attracted attention in Chinese state media due to his previous assertion that his government cannot interfere in the case of a Huawei executive arrested in Canada and now fighting extradition to the U.S.
Read more »