This Beaded Birkin Bag Comes With a Backstory [Video]

To begin their design process, which took months, the duo began by first figuring out how to replicate a Birkin 25 bag (hence, “Birkin” being in quotations; It’s a replica). Snyder and Stevens wanted the base of their bag to be the exact specifications to a real 25 Birkin. “I started researching dimensions, hardware, liner, and anything Birkin,” says Stevens. “Once I felt the dimensions were exact in my pattern, I created a prototype out of upholstery vinyl to really get a sense of how this was going to come together.” Once they had the base specifications down, the pair created it out of deer hide—a popular material for Indigenous artisans. “Buckskin tanned hides are amazing to work with because the tanning process makes it so easy to bead and embroider on,” says Snyder.

Then, their Birkin was ready to be beaded. Snyder and Stevens used over 30 different bead …