The Birkin bag started as a sketch on an airplane sick bag.

In 1981, Jane Birkin spilled her purse on a flight and sketched the fix on a sick bag. And that sketch would go on to inspire the world's most wanted tote. In the 80s, Jane Birkin was the it girl. She was a singer, actress and a fashion icon. She was taking a flight from Paris to London when she got upgraded to business class. As she's going to her new seat, all of her stuff falls out of her purse. And sitting next to her was Hermes CEO Jean Louis Dumas. Birkin tells him she wishes her bag had more pockets. At the time, there was nothing in the luxury market suitable for mothers who needed to carry things for their kids. So Dumas asked her to describe her her ideal bag, and Jane grabbed a sick bag from the pocket in front of her and started to sketch. It was spacious with a closure flap and had a dedicated space for baby bottles. Dumas was very intrigued. Realizing there was nothing like this in the space, he told Jane he would make her one and call it a Birkin. Three years later, in 1984, the first ever Birkin bag was released. It wasn't an instant hit, but by the mid-90s, early 2000s, it became a part of culture. And now buying a Birkin is one of the best long term investments you can make, outperforming the S&P 500 in gold. What's wild is the original Birkin bag made for Jane in 1984, just sold at auct for 10.1 million, making it the most expensive toad of all time. If you're curious how much Jane made from all this, she received $40,000 a year for the royalty use of her name and every year she would donate that money to charity. For more entrepreneur stories and information like this, follow UBK.