The Chronicles of Bagwati in an AI world

Tech, Trivia and History Insights community,

We're back with a blast with the May Edition of the newsletter, introducing the latest updates to your favourite communication and creativity tool. Here are a few remarkable features that make ChatGPT-4o stand out:

Say hello to GPT-4o- the new flagship model from OpenAI that can reason across audio, vision, and text in real-time.

• You can now have Real-Time Visual Assistance to receive support and guidance through interactive visuals.
• Learning Support is enhanced to revolutionise your learning experience with instant clarification on complex concepts.
• Seamless Multilingual Communication to Break language barriers effortlessly with advanced real-time translation.
• Efficient Meeting Management with ChatGPT-4o as your indispensable assistant, ensuring seamless coordination in meetings
• Creative Visual Communication that helps add multi-line text to images?
• Realistic 3D Object Synthesis to experience lifelike 3D rendering capabilities for realistic designs.
• Fun Photo Transformations add a touch of fun to your images with engaging caricatures.
• Brand Placement that can Seamlessly integrate brands into images with precision.

Just to keep it fun, see how GPT-4o interacts with some of our best friends.

Dog meets GPT-4o

Now, onto some intriguing news in the world of luxury: does anyone remember Bagwati ????????

?? Luxury Lawsuit Drama: Have you heard about the legendary Birkin bag? Brace yourself as Hermès finds itself entangled in a class action lawsuit concerning this iconic accessory! It's a captivating narrative that delves deep into the enigmatic realm of luxury and exclusivity.

To really, understand the lawsuit, you need to understand the bag. It's a story of how luxury brands think about—and create—value. Let's dig in:

Hermès is 187 years old but didn't create its most famous product until the 1980s. Actress, singer, and style icon Jane Birkin (known for carrying a wicker basket instead of a purse) happened to sit next to the Executive Chairman of Hermès, Jean-Louis Dumas, on a flight.

Following a struggle with an overhead compartment, Birkin expressed frustration at not finding a leather weekend bag she fancied. She even proposed the idea of a larger version of the Kelly bag, the brand's 1938 classic (renamed in honour of another style icon). However, Dumas had a more ingenious proposal:

Together, they designed a new bag tailored to Birkin's needs as a chic, busy young mother. Utilizing the duration of the Paris to London flight, they sketched various designs on the back of an airsickness bag. A year later, the Birkin bag was born, courtesy of Hermès.

As crazy as it sounds, early sales were decidedly mediocre. But these days, even if you HAVE the cash for a Birkin (between $12-50K, with some bags going for mid-6 figures), you still might not be able to buy one.? And (spoiler) that's the key to this lawsuit.

By the 2000s, Birkin bags were in such extreme demand that the waiting list was over SIX YEARS long. Many wealthy (and loud) Hermès clients thought the waiting list was unfair. So, in 2010, they dropped the waiting list and replaced it with an "allocation system."

This new system theoretically meant the general public could score a Birkin if lucky. In reality, some stores received a specific (secret) number of bags, and individual sales associates became the elusive gatekeepers. "SAs" now decided who was worthy of a Birkin. This system has no guaranteed way to buy a Birkin bag (or a Kelly). You must be invited. Paired with their rarity, price, and the sheer mystery of HOW to buy one, a hunt for a Birkin became an obsession for luxury heads. (It also sent their value to the moon. And back)

Speculation on how to get invited to buy a bag was RAMPANT. But over time, rumours coalesced into an open secret: to stand a chance of buying a Birkin or a Kelly, you had to EARN it.* *Unless, of course, you're ultra-connected. (Think royalty, global celebs, heads of state.)

How does one earn the honour of buying a Birkin or a Kelly? Typically: - Many purchases of other Hermès items - A long relationship with a sales associate - Lots of luck, Oh, and you don't get to choose the size, colour, or price. If you're offered ANYTHING, you say "Yes please!"

In short, Hermès rewards its most loyal customers with its best products. And THAT RIGHT THERE—the requirement to buy other, less-desired Hermès pieces in order to eventually purchase a Birkin, thus raising the value of those other pieces—is why they're being sued.

You can't just walk into Hermès and buy a Birkin bag. Instead, you need to have a history of buying other Hermès items. In a class action lawsuit filed in March 2024, California consumers say that the policy—tying the sale of Birkins to other products—is illegal.

The lawsuit claims that the (alleged) policy of forcing people to spend thousands on other stuff just for the chance to buy a Birkin is an antitrust violation.

Luxury transcends mere ownership; it entails cultural capital, signifying membership in an exclusive, clandestine club. In the meantime, Birkins appreciated approximately 14.2% between 1980 and 2015, outperforming fine jewellery (and even the S&P 500). Kelly bags aren't far behind in this regard.

Ironically, legal experts suggest that the absence of an official policy will likely shield Hermès and its "vibes-based" allocation system from legal repercussions. Nonetheless, those familiar with the intricacies of luxury item sales will undoubtedly monitor this case closely, despite the slim odds of success.

Ending this edition with a question for all of you: What's the job after the job-to-be-done?

Last but not the least, this is a work of labour and love, and if you enjoy reading this, you can always support me by liking and subscribing to this newsletter.?