Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Cardi B had some thoughts she shared with her followers and fans on Instagram in regards to all this conversation about who increases and who tanks the value of a Birkin bag by carrying it.
As we told you back in August, a discussion has been brewing for some time on fashion and gossip pages where people would question the authenticity of Birkins carried by Black women rappers or claimed the ladies somehow tainted the high standing of the luxury bag. Cardi ran across a tweet saying just that and decided to address it.
“I seen this tweet. It had me and it had other female rappers on it. They were talking about if we can get Birkins from the Hermes store. And they were also saying how we depreciate the value of a Hermes Birkin bag,” she said. “I find that really interesting right, because first things first, I definitely could get a bag. Actually, I got four bags today from the Hermes store, that’s one. I don’t want to brag but it’s like, don’t even try it. And second of all, why is it that y’all asking female rappers if they could get a bag from the Hermes store? Y’all don’t do this to these white celebrities. So why is it that y’all gotta be asking us?”
“Another thing is, they say we depreciate the value. Actually, we add value,” she said. “Because in Hip-Hop, when we mention brands in Hip-Hop, their sh-t go up.”
She went on to use for an example her mention of Christian Louboutin shoes in “Bodak Yellow,” Balenciaga shoes “that look like socks in “I Like It,” as well as Migos hit “Versace” as examples where their words increased the demand for products from esteemed fashion houses.
“Hip hop, we start trends. When y’all say that we devalue sh-t, no, we actually add value,” she said. “Another thing is, why when a Black girl, why when a Hispanic girl have a bag, y’all have to question it? Whether ‘Oh, is it fake?’ or ‘She’s a scammer!’ or ‘She’s f–kin’ a n—a for it!’ There’s a lot of boss a– b—hes out that own they company. There’s realtors. There’s PRs. There’s A&Rs. There’s doctors. There’s dentists. A lot of Instagram models, they getting like $20,000 a f–king post.”
Cardi, however, also made sure to make clear that young women shouldn’t feel pressured to get luxury bags just because they see stars wearing Birkins, as that creates the desire to compare one’s self to others.
“If you a regular girl, you don’t got to break your neck to have a Birkin,” she said. “A Birkin don’t make you.”
“Don’t ever feel like you gotta compare yourself. Don’t ever feel like you gotta go to Canal Street to keep up,” she added. “The Internet life? Don’t compare yourself to nobody to the Internet. This Internet sh-t is fake.”
As previously stated, we agree that it’s unfortunate when people act as though when Black women get their hands on certain “opulent” items, it’s treated as though we make it less covetable. This tends to be perpetrated by our own.
It is true that not just rappers, but Black people in general do create the trends. So an increase in women of color buying and investing in them (including to pass on to their children down the line) shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing — especially since it’s just a bag. Birkins are certainly worth a lot, don’t get me wrong, but I’ll continue to argue that they’re not worth more than the people who wear them.
Check out Cardi, and a few other rap queens, proudly toting their Birkins by hitting the flip:
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
City Girls rapper Yung Miami hit up an event the group was hosting in Atlanta this past Labor Day weekend rocking her Birkin with a bold gold wig, white corset, skirt and strappy heels.
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 06: Yung Miami of the City Girls attends The City Girls Labor Day Weekend Takeover at Republic Lounge on September 6, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
