Bijan: The Handbag Every Malaysian is Talking About Now

Even fashion designers Oscar de la Renta and Giorgio Armani wear Bijan suits.

However, a women’s collection began in 2014 with a line of made-to-order handbags in a variety of colours.

According to the Los Angeles Times, a bag in alligator leather with palladium hardware costs about US$65,000, and can go up to US$175,000 if embellished with diamonds.

The store is said to be the most expensive in the world where clients shop in the most luxurious surroundings, and items on offer include custom suits, perfumes, watches and even limited edition Bugatti and Rolls Royce cars.

During the press conference to announce items seized from the residences of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Amar Singh had said that the Bijan bag seized was custom-made and not available in the market.

It was among the 567 handbags from the 37 brands that were seized during raids conducted by the police in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

The other brands included Hermès, Chanel and Prada.

The most expensive handbag in the collection, Amar Singh said, was believed to be worth RM1.6 million.

He also revealed that the 272 Hermes bags alone were valued at RM51.3 million.

Last month, when the police conducted raids which saw a sizeable haul of 284 boxes of what was reported to be designer handbags, in particular, the Hermès Birkin, Malaysians were incensed.

The least expensive Hermès bag is a US$550 canvas pouch, but its iconic handbags – the Birkin and the Kelly – can only be bought in-store, usually with a waiting period.

From Fortune.com, “The cost of new Birkins range from US$12,000 to more than US$200,000, and they regularly sell on the secondary market for more than their original sales price.”

The Birkin is handcrafted and typically made of leather as well as the exotic skins of lizard, alligator and ostrich. Prices are also pushed up by the option of gold plating on the bag hardware and embellishments from precious stones.

The Birkin has reputation for being the most expensive handbag in the world when a version of it was sold at US$380,000 at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong. It is encrusted with 205 diamonds and made of crocodile skin that’s been dyed a rare gradient white.

Equally as luxurious and iconic is Chanel where its quilted double flap bag is not only made of lambskin leather but also the more exotic alligator and python.

On the Chanel website, a flap bag made of PVC is advertised at RM10,850 while a lambskin and lizard skin version is shown at RM34,000.

Prada is based in Milan, Italy and is arguably one of the more accessible designer brands for the average shopper.

There are three Prada stores in Malaysia and products can also be purchased at high-end shopping portals such as Net-A-Porter.com. A new Prada leather wallet retails for US$470, while a handbag can go for about US$3,500.

Source: NST