Cardi B & Her Birkin Bags: A Love Story

Since it was first introduced in 1984, the Hermès Birkin bag has stood the test of time as the ultimate status symbol. Fashionistas the world over wait years to get their hands on one (Samantha Jones, as we all remember, once desperately tried to skip the line). Their value can reach upwards of half a million dollars and they consistently break records as the most expensive handbags in history.

The Birkin is the certified holy grail of purses - and Cardi B has more than 25 of them.

While the rapper may not have the biggest Birkin collection on earth (Victoria Beckham is rumored to have over 100), her enduring fan girl status is endearing and all-too-relatable, making her one of our favorite A-list Hermès collectors. We mean, who doesn't love sharing in the excitement when she finally snags a piece she's been coveting, or enjoy drooling over her bag closet when she graciously gives us a peek inside? 

stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cardi B (@iamcardib)

And, come on, do we not all dream of one day having an adorable mommy-and-me Birkin moment like Cardi and her daughter? Iconic!

Delightful designer decadence aside, though, Cardi's relationship to the Birkin symbolizes more than just style. 

Speaking out in response to racist commentary that claimed the bags have "lost their value" because they're on the arms of female rappers, she's addressed the role of hip-hop in influencing fashion, and the discriminatory attitude towards Black women when it comes to owning luxury items. 

"Why when a Black girl, why when a Hispanic girl [has] a bag, y’all have to question it?" she said in an Instagram video last fall. "[In] hip-hop, we start trends. When y’all say that we devalue s—t, no we actually add value."

Considering the fact that Cardi's covetable collection is estimated to be worth over $500,000, we'd say she knows what she's talking about.

[Photos via @iamcardib]