Some people collect stamps, first editions or Beanie Babies. But Cardi B? She collects Birkins, which just so happen to be one of the most expensive handbags on Earth. Posting yesterday on Instagram, the singer-rapper shared a gallery showing one photo of her outfit (a sculpted mini dress from Mugler, and a Birkin) and one of all the other bags she could have chosen from (26 others if we're not mistaken).
The Birkin has a lot of fans - Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jane Birkin herself, of course - but none are quite as dedicated as Cardi B. Perhaps she's fully appraised of the fact that a Hermès Birkin, the brand's most famous bag, is a better investment than gold or the stock market.
We aren't being facetious or channelling the Carrie Bradshaw, 'Buy Vogue instead of dinner', school of finances here. In 2018, a survey from Baghunter, the online marketplace, found that the iconic leather tote had increased in value by 14.2% since 1981, the year it went into production (after Jane Birkin, the bag's namesake, found herself sitting on a flight next to Hermès' CEO).
In the decades since its debut, the Birkin's value has never decreased but steadily increased, experiencing its biggest jump (of 25%) in 2001 (which seems to coincide with the rising demand for so-called 'It' bags).
If you want to blow your savings on a Birkin, however, you'll have to be prepared to play the long game. The bag's caché is such that the waiting list is rumoured to be as long as six years, due to being perpetually 'sold out'. For such a stable investment, though, the wait could be worth it. To quote Carrie Bradshaw (again), 'I like my money where I can see it: hanging in my closet.'
SEE: The Most Memorable Handbags Of All Time
.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
1 of 11The Hermès Birkin
Its first iteration was a sketch on an airplane after a chance encounter between Hermès' Jean-Louis Dumas and Jane Birkin, who, bemoaning the fact that it wasn't easy to find a suitable bag, ended up giving her name to the most famous one ever created.
2 of 11The Mulberry Alexa
For most millennials, Mulberry's Alexa - a bag that was inspired by its namesake, Alexa Chung, and her penchant for men's briefcases - was their first introduction to the idea of the It bag. Fast-forward 12 years and Chung, who now helms her own eponymous label, has just designed a collection for Mulberry.
3 of 11The Chanel 2.55
Kate Moss's faux-fur gilet and floppy hat can stay in the mid-noughties, but the quilted receptacle, Chanel's 2.55, belongs in the timeless handbag hall of fame.
%20Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum,%20London%20(1).jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
4 of 11The Dior Saddle
Designed by John Galliano, Dior's Saddle made its debut in 1999. Its particular brand of logoed excellence found fans in Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. Maria Grazia Chiuri resurrected the bag a few years ago, and you'll now see Adwoa Aboah, Jennifer Lawrence and Kylie Jenner carrying it.
5 of 11The Céline Phantom
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley now worships at the altar of Bottega Veneta, but back in 2012, her heart belonged to the Céline Phantom.
6 of 11The Loewe Puzzle
Jonathan Anderson has churned out handbag hit after hit at Loewe, the heritage leather house based in Spain, but his most-beloved is the Puzzle.
%20Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum,%20London.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
7 of 11The Gucci Dionysus
When Alessandro Michele waved his maximalist wand over the handbag stable at Gucci, the fashion pack went wild. The Dionysus, a logoed bag complete with chunky chain and clasp, is one of his biggest hits.
8 of 11The Mansur Gavriel Bucket
Mansur Gavriel's paved the way for an it bag that, whisper it, was actually affordable. Sienna Miller became its most famous repeat-wearer, toting its ruby red bucket for the entirety of 2017.
%20Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum,%20London.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
9 of 11The Bottega Veneta Cassette
Bottega Veneta's creative director, Daniel Lee, has won every fashion award going for his accessories. The Cassette, a padded bag that has modernised the brand's famous way with woven leather, is one of his most popular.
10 of 11The Fendi Baguette
Carrie Bradshaw had several adventures involving Fendi's Baguette. Who could forget her correcting a mugger with the line, 'It's a Bag-uette'? Or when she went rooting through a man's trunk for fake versions in the Valley? The very same one she lost in SATC, and resurrected in And Just Like That, was in the V&A's exhibition.
11 of 11The Dior Lady Dior
The Lady Dior, which was rebranded in homage to Princess Diana, is the chic top handle to end all chic top handles, right Rihanna?
READ MORE: The Rise Of The Affordable It Bag: The 21 Best Designer Bags Under £500