A TikTok fashion influencer raised eyebrows at her decision to accessorize a designer bag for several additional thousands of dollars.
In the video posted on the luxury fashion account Sign of the Times (@sign_ofthetimes), the content creator invites viewers to "Jane birkinify my miu miu bag with £5000 worth of accessories with me."
She's referring to the style of the well-known Birkin bag, a large designer handbag often adorned with charms and additional decorations.
@sign_ofthetimes When the bag charms are more expensive than the actual bag 😅💅💍 #bagcharms #janebirkineffect #miumiubag #decoratemybagwithme #bagaccessories ♬ original sound - Sign of the Times
Starting with her brown leather bag — which, as she mentions, is already from an expensive designer brand — she proceeds to add a vast array of other high-end items to decorate the outside.
She wraps a silken scarf and strands of pearls around the handle, clips on designer teddy bear charms, adds a pair of designer sunglasses, and adorns it with several necklaces, bracelets, and more. Each of these items boasts labels of different designers as well.
She jokes in the caption, "When the bag charms are more expensive than the actual bag."
Commenters, understandably, had mixed reactions to the extravagance.
"This is the wealth I aspire to," one person wrote. Another called the look "iconic."
Others were less enthusiastic. One commenter said bluntly, "hey so um this is crazy." Another chimed in, saying, "Ok this is WAY overboard. There's a fine line between tasteful and tacky."
High fashion is typically somewhat divisive. Many people covet designer items for their perceived status and value, while many others dismiss them for being overpriced and promoting excessive materialism.
And while more people know about the pollutive, emissions-generating impacts of fast fashion, designer brands are no exception. Many high-end makers regularly destroy unsold inventory specifically to preserve the exclusivity of their brand.
Protests against this behavior have encouraged many major designers to look into reselling items instead, and several are working to incorporate more sustainable production into their supply chain.
Even Jane Birkin herself — the inventor and namesake of the bag style — was known for choosing not to own many bags but instead for using a single bag until it wore out completely. So ironically, perhaps the best way to "birkinify" a bag is to extend its useful life — whether it's charmed or not.
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