Marc Jacobs Makes a Case for the Beach Birkin

We’ve officially entered high summer. Humidity is challenging every sweat gland on your body, the sun is beginning to set before 8pm, and the noose is tightening around all those summer plans you made back in May.

Mine? I’ll go to the beach more, I’ve said the past three summers. How hard could that be? Well, it’s August now, and the summer tides are starting to pull back, threatening the stench of sulfurous failure.

Still, despite what those PSYCHOS sniffing around for pumpkin lattes and nutmeg candles will tell you, there’s plenty of summer left. Besides, what with global warming and all, we’ll probably have some prime beach days well into September.

What might my beach day look like? Look no further than Mr. Marc Jacobs, who proves sand dunes can be just as much of a fashion moment as 5th Avenue—especially when you can carry the same accessory across each.

Let me let Marc introduce you to the Beach Birkin.

While most might grab an L.L. Bean tote or mesh market bag to store their sunscreen and towel, Marc reaches for his epic collection of Hermès Birkins and Kellys. Sometimes, they are granted a beach chaise, other times, the purses are plopped down into the sand, with Marc keeping his Stephen Sprouse x Louis Vuitton limited-edition towel for himself.

The only exception goes to his Shadow Birkin, a rare edition of the handbag designed by Jean Paul Gaultier in 2009. Stripped of its traditional metal hardware, the bag instead sees its front flap, straps, and lock embossed into the leather, creating a trompe-l’œil effect. It’s one of the most coveted versions of the Birkin today with a resale price starting at $40,000.

In 2025, Sotheby’s called the bag “the ultimate symbol of quiet luxury,” though I’d argue the ultimate symbol would be bringing a five-figure accessory to the beach. In all fairness, Marc did allow his Shadow Birkin a place on the beach chair this time.

In this sense, the designer is the closest we have to Jane Birkin, who carried her namesake bag to the point of near-shabbiness. Adorned, distressed, and overstuffed, her Birkin exemplified how the bag should be worn (or rather, well-worn). Given the accessory costs nearly as much as a down payment, why pay that much just to treat it as a trophy on a shelf?

Of course, some might also see the cost as a point of contention. Sacrilege! One Instagram comment I found compared Marc’s Beach Birkin to “dragging your mink.” LOL.

Per my research, most of Marc’s Birkin-toting happened between the years of 2009 and 2012, during the designer’s term at Louis Vuitton. This was also when—as you might be able to tell by the predatory pap photos—Marc was hounded for his “controversial” lifestyle choices, including a second stint in rehab and an alleged 10-person orgy, from which one attendee told Page Six “people weren’t as good-looking as I expected.” His carrying a Birkin to the beach seemed the ultimate F You to his haters (even, and especially, the not-as-good-looking ones).

Around that time, a Birkin cost about $7,500 to $8,500, a little less than half of what the bag would run you today.

Of course, the purchasing process doesn’t begin with a single price tag. Luxury buyers must play the Hermès “game,” strategically spending money in hopes of securing an invite to purchase a Birkin or Kelly bag. A hefty purchase history doesn’t guarantee anything either; some have filed lawsuits over Hermès not selling them said bags.

Owning a Birkin, then, is a bragging right—one that has gone from in the know to everyone knows, with the social media engagement to prove it. Such frenzy has made them “embarrassing” to wear, several OG Birkin owners recently confided to Backrow writer Amy Odell. “I didn’t like seeing my bag on the Kardashians,” an anonymous (and reformed) Birkin owner added.

One might say the same thing now about the Balenciaga City bag or the Margiela Tabis, both items consumed to a point that obscures their original meanings. It’s wanting an item for others’ perception—of your income, your style, etc—rather than appreciation for the object itself. The ultimate appreciation being wearing the piece, that is. Slayyyter didn’t write “beat up chanel$” for nothing!

After all, there’s a point of pride in wearing something beat up. It’s kind of chic—going back to when chic actually meant something more than just text over video. Chic once belonged to, and will always belong to, the Olsen twins and their distressed Kelly bags. That patina just can’t be bought. If you’re looking for a collectible, get a Labubu!

Or, be like Marc and grab both. Last year, he adorned his beloved black Birkin with a fully-packaged version of the furry charm. Yes, the bag is worn and slouched, but fortunately the Labubu is protected in plastic. That’s Marc for you!

Before he was rocking long bejeweled nails, the designer was stomping around town in kilts and platform Dr. Martens, pairing them with either a form-fitting thermal or a tattoo-baring tank. His bringing a Birkin to the beach never felt like a statement; it was merely his natural state.

Is bringing a Birkin to the beach ridiculous? Absolutely. Tacky? Some would say so. Being unapologetic about it, however, is fabulous, and Marc is one of the few capable of making the bourgeois accessory lose its stiffness. It’s that attitude that has always fascinated me about his designs too. They’re fun! They’re outrageous! They’re Marc.

Coincidentally, the designer was announced as Vanity Fair’s September cover star yesterday. It’s one of my favorite interviews I’ve read in a while, penned of course by the legendary José Criales-Unzueta, and sums up exactly what I love about Marc.

“As his collections have submitted to the changing winds, Jacobs will always have himself,” writes Criales-Unzueta. “Donatella Versace has her bleach-blond hair, Lagerfeld had his ponytail and fingerless gloves, and Jacobs has whatever he’s into at any given moment.”

Hence, do as Marc does, which is to do whatever the eff you want. I have no Birkin nor Birkin money, but I’ll be bringing Birkin energy to the beach these last few weeks. A fun alternative I’m considering is a Firkin (fake Birkin, for the uninitiated). Jelly iterations are big this summer, though I personally love this Grocery Bag version, which comes with its own plastic patina.

Plus, can we stop pretending like a Birkin isn’t the perfect beach bag? There’s enough room for your cheesy beach read, your (presumably designer) silk caftan, and a bottle or two of rosé. Put that bag to work, honey!

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