An insider’s hilarious, whirlwind account of his years spent globe-trotting in search of the holy grail of handbags: the BirkinFor more than twenty years, the Hermès Birkin bag has been the iconic symbol of fashion, luxury, and wealth. Though the bag is often seen dangling from the arms of celebrities, there is a fabled waiting list of more than two years to buy one from Hermès, and the average … to buy one from Hermès, and the average fashionista has a better chance of climbing Mount Everest in Prada pumps than of possessing one of these coveted carryalls. Unless, of course, she happens to know Michael Tonello . . .
Michael’s newfound career started with an impulsive move to Barcelona, a vanished job assignment, no work visa, and an Hermès scarf sold on eBay to generate some quick cash. But soon the resourceful Michael discovered the truth about the waiting list and figured out the secret to getting Hermès to part with one of these precious bags. Millions of dollars worth of Birkins later, Michael had become one of eBay’s most successful entrepreneurs—and a Robin Hood to thousands of desperate rich women.
With down-to-earth wit, Michael chronicles the unusual ventures that took him to nearly every continent, from eBay to Paris auction house and into the lives of celebrities and poseurs. Flirting with danger, Michael recounts the heady rush of hand delivering his first big score to famed songwriter Carole Bayer Sager in Paris; how he had to hire thugs to rescue a bag that one of his “shoppers” held for ransom; and the story of the Oscar-worthy performances that allowed him to snag “reserved” bags from other, less dogged Birkin seekers.
Whether he’s relating his wining and dining, buying and selling, dodging and weaving, laughing and crying, or schmoozing and stammering, Michael is a master raconteur who weaves together tales of hunting Birkins in the world’s most posh locales, memories of meals that would make any gastronome salivate, anecdotes of obsessed collectors with insatiable desires, and sweetly intimate stories about his family, friends, and finding true love. The result is a memoir that is distinctive, fun, page-turning, and as addictive as its namesake.
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A delicious soufflé for those times you just want to kick back and enjoy the trip (literal and metaphorical). When the author finds himself jobless and directionless in Barcelona, he discovers way(s) around the notorious Hermes waitlist and, in the process, creates a profitable enterprise providing Birkin bags to the rich and clueless. In the …
Very entertained, heard about it on planet money and remember it right away, very resoueful, imaginative and stubborn guy
I liked the “lightness” of this book. Very amusing. Good change from my usual genre of animal stories (so many of them die) and History/Historical Fiction.
I couldn’t even imagine doing this for a living, but it sure was fun to go along for the ride. Oh to be so wealthy!
Nice insight into a world i’ll never visit.
A well-written, fascinating peek at upper-class life that encompasses coveting, buying, and stock-piling EXTREMELY expensive designer brands. Glad the author moved on in life after a career re-selling very pricey hard-to-get handbags and accessories. The unexpected intrigue of his personal story involves world travel, avarice of the wealthy, and …
Unique storytelling
It started out witty. Then it went mundane. Lost interest
At least once, I think we have all gone on a marvelous vacation to an idyllic part of the world and been struck with the sudden impulse to abandon our regular lives and move to that vacation spot, full time.
We’ve all had that impulse, but author Michael Tonello actually made such a move, after falling in love with Barcelona.
Michael went to …