Amanda Mull May 30, 2012 Hermes In The News

Fact Check: Clint Eastwood’s Daughter and the Tale of the $100,000 Burning Birkin

As some of you have probably read, there’s a set of photos going around the Internet that purport to show Clint Eastwood’s 19-year-old daughter Francesca Eastwood chewing on, sawing in half and then setting ablaze a “$100,000 Hermes Crocodile Birkin” (scare quotes intentional, you’ll see why in a second), all in the name of art. (“Art.”) The photos appear on the website of photographer Tyler Shields, Eastwood’s boyfriend, and their creation will reportedly be documented in an episode of her E! reality show, Mrs. Eastwood and Company, set to run next week.

The Internet has been clutching its collective pearls since TMZ first posted about this story a few days ago, with people expressing outrage about a number of issues they have with the photos and their artistic goals. (Among the complaints I’ve read: torching something that costs that much money is both aggressively stupid and wasteful, anyone would spend $100,000 on a handbag in the first place is obscene, and Francesca is bringing shame to her father’s good name and disrespecting an iconic piece of design in the process.) It seems to us, though, that everyone’s ignoring a lot of fairly clear factual inaccuracies in this whole dumb stunt that render the debate moot – no one burned a crocodile Birkin at all, despite what an aspiring reality star, her publicity-hungry boyfriend and the network that brought us four distinct Kardashian-based shows want you to believe. We’ve got the skinny, plus the rest of the photos, after the jump.

First and foremost, crocodile Hermes Birkins don’t cost $100,000. They just don’t, and that’s a fact that even the fashion media reporting this story seems happy to blissfully ignore in favor of sensationalism. A 35cm porosus crocodile Birkin currently costs €31,200, which is a little more than $38,000. Even though that’s still a hefty chunk of change, it is nowhere near the mindblowing six-figure price tag that’s being assigned to the bag in the photos. There’s no indication that the bag had the kind of diamond-encrusted hardware that would push the price tag anywhere near the realm of what’s been reported.

On top of that, if the bag in these pictures is real, I’ll eat my hat. Not only does the “Birkin” look like it’s made out of croc-embossed pleather at the very best, but the way that the bag is twisting and bunching in the pre-destruction photo should be enough to tip off anyone that’s ever seen the real deal in person. The bag that was used for this shoot probably cost some poor production assistant $25 to buy it out of the trunk of a car in Santee Alley. Our Hermes experts on the PurseForum agree – it’s a knockoff, and not even a convincing one.

The message Shields and Eastwood claim to have been trying to convey with this set of photos – that you should never let your possessions possess you – is not necessarily a bad one at all, and even something worth remembering as a luxury consumer. Although the aesthetic value of the end artistic product is debatable at best and fairly amateurish at worst, the same can be said for tons of other art that people spend tens of thousands of dollars making, day in and day out; in that context, these photos would be hardly unique, even if they actually depicted what they claim to depict. The fact is, though, that they don’t.

To me, that’s why nothing in these photos is particularly shocking. What is shocking, though, is that more people aren’t seeing this for exactly what it is: a marketing ploy with a decidedly reality-TV budget, intended to drum up interest for a show that no one was talking about until now. In that regard, it would be difficult to understate the effectiveness of this photo shoot. Just don’t weep for the “Birkin” – it’s probably better off in this state anyway.

belleism

true true!
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Musette

Great post! I didn’t even realize Clint had a daughter. Which is probably why she’s doing this, instead of getting a job at Malpaso.
- BigBangBaby
  
  He has two daughters.
  - Janey_jane
    
    He has three daughters. All different mothers.
  - Sabrina
    
    He has two daughters. This is Dina’s first daughter from a different guy whom Clint adopted.
  - CC
    
    janey_jane is right. He has three. Alison, Francesca (Frances Fisher is her mother) and Dina’s daughter.
Deedee

Lame show. Mrs. Eastwood apparently got advice from Kris Jenner on how to market the family.
Vibri Wulandari

Some people’s opinion sometimes just make me speechless. I don’t care for her show, I never watch reality show. I actually appreciate her effort to show people that “your possession should never possess you”. What puzzled me is the fact that people were outraged. Do they really think that horses and human are really killed in movies? How about Ferrari, BMW or other luxurious cars that get destructed? How about burned houses? Another message here: your rage should not posses you.. think before you type.
http://about.me/VibriWulandari
- http://www.purseblog.com/ Amanda Mull
  
  I think that the movie analogy is a good one – audiences cheer when things are destroyed in movies. The kind of destruction that’s required to film a chase seen in any action movie costs far more than burning a Birkin would, and people think it’s fantastic entertainment and even pay to see it. The outrage doesn’t make a great deal of sense whether the bag is real or not, and particularly since it’s not.
Kate

Clint has 7 kids by 5 different women, 5 girls 2 boys.
Alexandra Davidoff

Did you see what she did to a pair of Christian Louboutins? While I am not in agreeance with how much either of these objects costs, or how much they are revered in popular media, I think Ms. Eastwood is making a fool of herself. As an artist myself, I feel that Ms. Eastwood is spitting on what it means to create art. What she’s doing isn’t art. Art is an expression that has purpose, meaning, beauty, emotion, brought into existence by talented hands. These photographs, this act, is not the product of an artist. It is the product of a frustrated celebrity and her boyfriend desperate to find a way to garner enough attention through shocking people without substance, just to satisfy their sore egos. Fantastic article Amanda.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003873444069 David Patrone
  
  By your own definition, she created art…
  
  She created an emotional response in you and expressed a definite opinion that got you excited enough to post about it. Beauty is subjective of course and your idea of beauty has nothing to to with the qualifications of art.
  - Alexandra Davidoff
    
    I guess you didn’t get my definition. I said art is an expression that has purpose, meaning, emotion and beauty. I said that art is brought into the world by someone’s talent. You may want to believe my differing idea of beauty cannot qualify what is art and what is not, but do you really think Ms. Eastwood has talent? I can take an expensive bag, cut in half, light it on fire and write a more heart-wrenching message about it. Anyone can. But can *anyone* make real art? No. Do you think these photographs have a purpose? The revolt against materialism, as suggested in Ms. Eastwood’s supposed ‘art’ has been done and redone many times in many more intellectually stimulating ways by many other artists who approach the subject without disrespecting a craftsman (who is also an artist). Slapping it on this ridiculous act doesn’t successfully hide Ms. Eastwood’s craving for attention.
    
    Everything in the world can create an emotional response. That’s because we are humans who feel emotion every moment in our lives. Having an emotional opinion about something doesn’t make it qualify as art. I guess you can say you sparked an emotional response in me that made me take the time to respond to your comment, but are you going to say what you wrote is art? I don’t think so.
  - Jake
    
    i like you. this is smart
Christina

I very much agree with what you have written, Amanda. Just two thoughts (slightly off topic though):
Clint is a very accomplished actor/director, a living legend, a worldwide icon, who has guarded his private life in the past – and he is fine with a reality show of his family? Kardashian/Osbourne style? I know, I know … his daughter is 18 (I read somewhere) and in theory can do what she wants, but Clint is very powerful – he could stop any reality show with a frown of his forehead.
And this is what his daughter wants to be known for? Really? I understand it cannot be easy to be the child of a genius, but Reality TV? That is just lame.
- mlle p
  
  And his wife, also! LIke there’s nothing better she could do with her time??
- pixiegirlie
  
  I think his wife is the one who pushed for them to do the show. Its a easy way to get both their girls into the spotlight without having them do “real” work. And so she can pimp her band she brought from home from South Africa. They are talented but they’ve been here a while and haven’t had any success in the US, with Clint has her husband it’s hard to believe she doesn’t have the connections to make it happen. So I think this show is a way to get them a fan base so they can get a high paying record deal. I think Dina wanted to do the show and Clint’s going along with whatever she wants. They’ve only had a few episodes but Clint’s presence is there, but I kind of get the feeling that he’s not around all that much. I don’t mean that in a bad way I mean he’s on set with whatever film he’s directing so he’s not home 24-7 so Dina is in charge and has to run the home.
  - Christina
    
    Well, as you wrote, Clint should have all the connections in the world to push the career of a band. She does not really need a Reality TV show for that, does she? Unless she herself likes the limelight….
    Btw, I absolutely loved your sentence: “Its a easy way to get both their girls into the spotlight without having them do “real” work.” :-D
Spooky

I’ve been saying this far and wide, this “$100,000″ purse sacrifice was simply the product of two attention hungry people saying “look at us, look at us, don’t look at the purse too closely because it’s fake, look at us, we’re ever so avant garde!” *over the top, dramatic eye roll* Pathetic. Thanks for getting the truth out there, I was waiting for someone with more credibility to say something.
I.C

after witnessing how a Kelly or Birkin or any other Hermes iconics are created in person, i rather they burned the 100K than a croc birkin, you burn the money, you are only disrespecting to person who gave you the money, you burned a croc birkin, you are disrespecting the craftsman, the craftsmanship, the design spirit, and a butt loads of people who are trying to get one. its a giant middle finger to all the above, in the name of ‘art’ (which the photos were like graduates work anyway).
http://www.go2bagtrade.com/ Julia cathen

er possess you”.
00K than a croc birkin, you burn the money, you are only disrespecting
to person who gave you the money, you burned a croc birkin, you are
disrespecting the craftsman, the craftsmanship, the design spirit, and a
butt loads Some people’s opinion sometimes just make me speechless. I don’t care
for her show, I never watch reality show. I actually appreciate her
effort to show people that “your possession should nevof people who are trying to get one. its a giant middle
finger to all the above, in the What puzzled me is the fact that people were outraged. Do they really
think that horses and human are really killed in movies? How about
Ferrari, BMW or other luxurious cars that get destructed? How about
burned houses?

http://www.go2bagtrade.com/
KoutureCrochet

Right on!
http://www.go2bagtrade.com/ Lucaswang

this is the bag she burned! it’s a pity,a lot of people like this bag very much. Hermes handbag
Mirna

AMANDA GO TO RADARONLINE.COM THEY POSTED THIS ARTICLE AND MENTIONED YOUR NAME ABOUT IT BEING A FAKE BAG! JUST READ IT :)
- http://www.purseblog.com/ Amanda Mull
  
  I just did! I did an interview with them yesterday afternoon, you guys can read it here if you’d like to see me throw a little more shade at these folks: http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/05/clint-eastwood-daughter-burns-hermes-bag-fake-reality-show
  - Alexandra Davidoff
    
    A fantastic interview Amanda. Perhaps Ms. Eastwood is trying to be a Marcel Duchamp of fashion, but all I see is her attention seeking fakery.
http://www.go2bagtrade.com/ Joseph pedrea

My dreamed Hermes bag been burned.cry like a baby!

Some people’s opinion sometimes just make me speechless. I don’t care
for her show, I never watch reality show. I actually appreciate her
effort to show people that “your possession should never possess you”.
What puzzled me is the fact that people were outraged. Do they really
think that horses and human are really killed in movies? How about
Ferrari, BMW or other luxurious cars that get destructed? How about
burned houses? Another message here: your rage should not posses you..
think before you type.

Please visit my humble blog!

http://www.go2bagtrade.com/hermes-handbag-all-other-hermes-bags-c-39_2662.html
http://www.go2bagtrade.com/ Mandywang

why are they burned this hermes handbag.i dream to buy one
Blaine101

The idea that you shouldn’t let your possessions possess you is one that is about ten years tardy. The rest of us learned this lesson years ago, not by abstract art, but by nose-to-the-concrete crash. I’m trying to yank my home out of foreclosure so my children won’t have to leave all their friends & great school district – I don’t fucking need two trust-fund babies descending from the heavens to deliver me the newsflash that garish consumerism is bad. The irony is thick – the only people who really need that message are those is THEIR tax bracket, not mine. I don’t think they got their own message.
Blaine101

The idea that you shouldn’t let your possessions possess you is one that is about ten years tardy. The rest of us learned this lesson years ago, not by abstract art, but by nose-to-the-concrete crash. I’m trying to yank my home out of foreclosure so my children won’t have to leave all their friends & great school district – I don’t fucking need two trust-fund babies descending from the heavens to deliver me the newsflash that garish consumerism is bad. The irony is thick – the only people who really need that message are those is THEIR tax bracket, not mine. I don’t think they got their own message.
- Blaine101
  
  Aside: can we reinstitute the Blaine Rule of capital punishment for girls over the age of sixteen pouting? I nearly choked out my starved empty tummy when I watched Eastwood pout at her boyfriend “But it’s such a pretty bag! Don’t make me burn it!!” Gahh. Someone gong her and yank her off the stage.
http://www.go2bagtrade.com/ Kate cathy

I don’t
think they got their own message., not by abstract art, but by
nose-to-the-concrete crash. I’m trying to yank my home out of
foreclosure so my children won’t have to leave all their friends &
great school district – I don’t fucking need two trust-fund babies
descending from the heavens to deliver me the newsflash that garish
consumerism is bad. The irony is thick – the only people who really
need that message are those is THEIR tax bracket, not mine.

See more details in my blog.

http://www.go2bagtrade.com/hermes-handbag-c-39.html
Melissa

Just saw you quoted on cocoperez for this article Amanda. :)
- http://www.purseblog.com/ Amanda Mull
  
  Thanks for letting me know, I hadn’t seen that one yet!
http://www.go2bagtrade.com/ BabaraM

this is not art this is for fame hermes birkin is used to show off
Ayanna

I had only seen one photo before I read this post, and that was of it burning. I never even got a good luck at the bag. While I found it obnoxious, I wasn’t outraged. And I certainly wondered if the bag was even real or not. I think some people are just looking for a reason to be up in arms.

p.s. I love art as much as the next person, but the whole “destruction is freedom, don’t let your possessions posses you” crap, I’m not buying.
Monica

Phew! Hhahah

http://www.withloveshmon.com
19yearslater

They’re not bad photos. Even if it were a real Birkin, who cares? Do Birkins have feelings now?
- Blaine101
  
  They are bad photos.
Lourdessuarez747

I KNEW IT WASN´T REAL THE HANDLES WERE TO BIG IN COMPARISON AND THE LEATHER WAS TOO SHINY AS IN PLASTIC
PurseCat

I was not expecting you to be so uninformed, as there is a crocodile Birkin that does cost this six figure amount. I am a bit disappointed that this comment comes from Purseblog as you were my Bible in terms of bags until now. The rest of the article is true I am sure.
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Horlerjr

I saw this episode and it did keep me watching! Mrs Eastwood is a little quirky. As for her husbands reputation. I don’t think it has any effect on him.
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Ctmiko

Who are we kidding? The people who buy this purse would drag this around LA or NY for a year and then take it to a chic very upscale consignment shop and move on to the next ridiculously priced fashion statement. Although I too, do not believe it’s a real Hermes. I did particularly like the photo of the purse on fire. This to me was more about a talented artist and a great sense of whimsy. The heavy, deep and real politically correct social message was actually a waste of time.
http://www.facebook.com/Ecomanta Inson Wood

there is only one bag – Hermes. http://www.ecomant.com