CULTURE

Cardi B Casually Shows Off Her 26 Birkin Bags On A Table

Cardi B Birkin Bags
Photo: CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP via Getty Images.

Few objects have as much social and cultural cachet as the Hermès Birkin bag, a seemingly standard leather bag whose eye-popping prices are matched only by their retail rarity. It’s the ultimate handbag symbol of wealth, luxury, and access — and naturally, it has attracted numerous famous collectors, from Drake’s stockpile for his future wife, to Cardi B’s legendary Birkin stash, naysayers be damned. Now, she’s giving us another glimpse of her collection, including a unique Birkin model that resembles, of all things, cargo pants.

On Instagram, Cardi shared a series of photos of her newest Birkin. It’s a larger-sized, camel-colored bag with contrasting leather piping, side pockets, and an attached miniature satchel and cardholder on the front. This Birkin can hold it all — there are four visible pockets in total, and that’s not including the main interior compartment or any other pockets that can’t be seen in the image. And Cardi needs the extra storage, because her burgundy Mugler tank dress doesn’t even have space enough for her phone.

via Cardi B's Instagrams.

She also included a photo of 26 Birkins casually arranged on a table, as though it was a million-dollar buffet offering of various leather delectables. Ranging in size from big to very big, Cardi’s Birkin collection included camo print, red bandana paisly, multicolored stripes, and several exotic skins, such as croc and python, in various colors. It’s unknown if this represents the entirety of her collection, or a smaller sampling, but purists shouldn’t worry: Cardi doesn’t keep her Birkins strewn about a table, they are carefully displayed on a wooden shelf.

In addition to a great financial investment, Cardi also considers her collection to be a career-defining achievement while questioning the racism inherent in criticism of her purchases. “Why is it that y’all asking female rappers if they can get a bag from the Hermès store?” she once asked in an Instagram video. “Y’all don’t do that to these white celebrities. So, why is it that y’all gotta be asking us? What the fuck? Why when a Black girl, why when a Hispanic girl have a bag you have to question it? ‘Oh is it fake?’ Or ‘she’s a scammer.’ There’s a lot of boss-ass bitches out here. There’s a lot of boss-ass bitches that own they company. There’s realtors. There’s PRs, A&Rs. There’s doctors, dentists.”