Hermes targeted in suit accusing luxury retailer of selling famed Birkin bags only to the worthy

Hermes is being targeted in a new lawsuit accusing the luxury retailer of selling its coveted Birkin handbags only to customers who have spent exorbitant amounts of money at the store on other goods.

The proposed federal class-action lawsuit, which was filed this week in San Francisco, alleges that Hermes is violating antitrust law by making customers buy other goods in the store before being granted the privilege of buying a Birkin bag from Hermes.

Birkin handbags, which are handcrafted from leather by artisans in France, can cost tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on the second-hand market, and are seen on the arms of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B. The handbags can only be purchased in a Hermes store, not on its website.

However, the lawsuit claims that the average customer can't just walk into a Hermes store, find a Birkin on display and buy it. Rather, customers that are “deemed worthy” will be shown a Birkin in a private room.