No Skin in the Game

Jane Birkin Wants Hermes Name Change Following Animal-Abuse Claims

Citing the cruel methods in extracting crocodile skin, Jane Birkin has asked Hermes to remove her name from the famed bag.

Jane Birkin, the English actress and namesake for the famed Hermès Birkin bag, has asked the French luxury goods maker to remove her name from the popular handbag.

“Having been alerted to the cruel practices endured by crocodiles during their slaughter for the production of Hermès bags carrying my name … I have asked Hermès Group to rename the Birkin until better practices responding to international norms can be implemented for the production of this bag,” Birkin said in a statement.

During a recent investigation, PETA exposed the cruel conditions crocodiles are raised and killed in for production of the Birkin bag and other luxury goods using crocodile skin. PETA says it takes two to three crocodiles to make one Birkin bag.

The Birkin bag is one of the most sought after luxury handbags in the world. New Birkin bags can cost $10,000 to $150,000, depending on the material.

The handbag was named after Jane Birkin after she met Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas on an airplane in 1984 and complained of not having a good leather weekender. Dumas created the bag for her after being inspired by her complaint.

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Matt Kelemen

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