Author Interview: Michael Tonello, "Bringing Home the Birkin"

{Missy}: Michael, I want to thank you for this amazing opportunity to chat with you about your book, Bringing Home the Birkin. As the undercover Birkin buyer you did a fantastic job of staying below the radar. However, writing the book shares your story in a very public way. How has your life changed in the year since "Bringing Home the Birkin" was published?

{MJT}: The most startling change is waking up to dozens of emails from people around the world whom have read my book and feel as if they know all about me. During my "Birkin days" I'd wake up to lots of emails, but the subject of those emails was always Hermes and/or Birkins; now it's me, Juan, the cats and questions about Barcelona. I do have to say that it's a great excuse to drink Earl Grey and stay in my pajamas...

{Missy}: The women you "met" through eBay became not only your informants but also your best buyers...Grace, Sarah, and Ellen. Do you continue to stay in touch? And since you've abandoned the Birkin chase, who's buying their Birkins these days??

{MJT}: It's funny you should ask this because just a few minutes ago I was on the phone with my Dad and he was asking about Ellen. Dad actually had lunch with Ellen a couple of times in Florida, they live a few miles away from one another. I "speak" (email only, of course) with Grace every couple of days (still have never met her) and she's still very involved with her scarves and scarf group. As for Sarah, since I'm no longer in the biz she and I have drifted apart and gone our separate ways. I have a lunch date next month with a gal from San Francisco who was a scarf client during my Hermes hay-day. She wrote to me out of the blue and is visiting Barcelona with her husband, so we made a plan to have dinner here. I've heard through the grapevine that a lot of my former clients are now buying their Birkins through www.luxury-shops.com when they can't get them from Hermes.

{Missy}: By accidentally discovering an unmet demand for Hermes scarves, handbags and other merchandise, you managed to do something that most of us envy: Working from home all day in your PJs! What advice would you give to someone who may consider eBay selling as a full-time job?

{MJT}: Sell something that you know very well and love. When I first started selling on eBay I think that my auctions were very successful because I was selling my personal property and was able to write about it intelligently. When you go in to a luxury boutique the best salesperson is the one who lives and dies the product they are selling. In other words, if you are a vegetarian don't open a store selling BBQ baby-back ribs.

{Missy}: We both share a love for our cats. Mine are named Cookie and Doughie--not the most sophisticated names but they suit their personalities very well! Can you share pictures of your cats Gala and Dali with us and offer a little commentary about their personalities?

{MJT}: Of course I could write a book on this subject....and the fact of the matter is that I've actually written three (along with my cousin and my illustrator). This autumn I will begin the process of getting them published. I'll keep you in the loop on that. Meanwhile...Gala is five (her birthday was in March) and Dali will be five on Christmas day. Gala is the warrior. She guards the house but also loves visitors. Dali is shy and a bit timid with guests...until he sees that Gala hasn't been drawn and quartered, then he'll venture out and say hello to everyone. They're Bengal's, so they love water. Gala is a spotted Bengal and Dali is marbled. It's not unusual for Gala to go in the shower with Juan in the morning. As I write this they are both lying in the sun, out on the balcony.

Gala

Dali

{Missy}: I'm so excited to hear you're working on a second book! What can you tell us about it? When will it be published?

{MJT}: My 2nd book is also a memoir but with a twist. It has a bit of a, shall we say, political angle to it. I don't want to give away too much, but I can tell you that it will be very funny. In some ways it will be two books in one. It will cover about twenty five years, from my time in Junior High School til shortly prior to moving to Spain. With any amount of luck we'll be seeing the fruits of my labor in the fall of 2010.

{Missy}: Michael, I want to thank you again for taking the time to chat with me today, long distance from your home in Barcelona, Spain. "Bringing Home the Birkin" sits lovingly on my bookshelf and I look forward to reading more about your life and adventures! Cheers!