Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
![Loading indicator](/images/ajax-loader-bar.gif)
An insider's hilarious, whirlwind account of his years spent globe-trotting in search of the holy grail of handbags: the Birkin For more than twenty years, the Hermes 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 Hermes, 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 Hermes 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 Hermes 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.
Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
![Loading indicator](/images/ajax-loader-bar.gif)
Previews available in: English
Subjects
EBay (Firm), Selling, Handbags, Businesspeople, Biography, Internet auctions, Biography & Autobiography, NonfictionPeople
Michael TonelloShowing 2 featured editions. View all 2 editions?
Edition | Availability |
---|---|
1
Bringing Home the Birkin
2008, HarperCollins
Electronic resource
in English
006164580X 9780061645808
|
aaaa
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
2
Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag
April 22, 2008, William Morrow
Hardcover
in English
0061473332 9780061473333
|
zzzz
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
Book Details
Edition Notes
The Physical Object
ID Numbers
Community Reviews (0)
Feedback?February 25, 2022 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
July 22, 2019 | Edited by MARC Bot | remove fake subjects |
June 17, 2010 | Edited by ImportBot | add details from OverDrive |
March 15, 2010 | Edited by WorkBot | update details |
December 11, 2009 | Created by WorkBot | add works page |