Crowdfunding for a Birkin? One woman in California gave it a try

A woman posted ads in Atherton requesting donations for an unusual cause: the purchase of a $93,000 Hermès Birkin bag. 

Polina Downar, the woman responsible for the ads, tells KTVU she was inspired by a video she saw on Instagram.

"Actually it’s pretty weird story about purse — I saw exactly the same idea in IG in reels. It was in NYC, and this girl was posting ads about a bag, and she showed a result with some transactions," Downar said. 

Paulina Downar posted ads in Atherton, California

Downar says when she posted the ads she had just been fired from a company she'd worked at for four years, and she was "at the lowest" of her life when it came to finances. She hoped posting the ad might help her come up with funds to support herself. 

"Anyways, I didn't get any money at all," from the idea, Downar told KTVU. She says her former boss loaned her money to handle her rent and her credit card payment. 

She hasn't given up hope. Some of the ads are still up, so who knows what the future holds.