The first and historic Hermès Birkin bag once owned by British actress and singer Jane Birkin has been sold for the staggering sum of €8.6 million. The new world record was set by Sotheby’s Paris, breaking the previous highest price ever paid at auction for a handbag. This model — an enduring symbol of luxury and elegance — sparked huge interest among collectors, triggering a fierce ten-minute bidding war. The winning bid came from a wealthy Japanese buyer who took part via phone through Sotheby’s Japan. An unimaginable evaluation until yesterday, for a handbag that is not merely a high-fashion accessory, but a true piece of history.
A mind-blowing price for the Birkin
This Birkin has rightly earned mythical status — especially given its origin story. The bag was born quite by chance. In 1984, Jane Birkin was aboard a Paris-to-London flight, seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then Artistic Director and CEO of Hermès. During the journey, the actress accidentally spilled the contents of her wicker basket and remarked to Dumas on how hard it was to find a handbag that was both elegant and practical.
At that moment, Dumas had the idea: to create a bag tailored to Jane’s needs. From that encounter, a legendary “it-bag” was born — destined to become a global status symbol and to leave a lasting mark on fashion history. The bag sold at auction is no ordinary Birkin — it is the very first, made specifically for the actress and later donated by her in 1994 in support of the French charity Solidarité Sida. After passing into the hands of collector Catherine B. (a pseudonym), it was displayed in major museums such as MoMA in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
A one-of-a-kind Piece
What makes this item so extraordinary is not just its history, but its unique technical features — never repeated in later models. It is, in fact, a leather prototype with seven distinctive details. These include a fixed shoulder strap — absent from all commercial versions — non-standard dimensions, gilt brass hardware instead of gold-plated fittings, fully closed metal rings, smaller-than-usual studs, a customised zip, and finally, the unmistakable “JB” stamp, attesting to its authenticity. All of these elements heighten its collectable value. With its sale in Paris, all previous records have been shattered. In 2021, another Birkin owned by the actress sold for €150,000, while the previous record (now surpassed) was held by a diamond-studded Himalaya model, auctioned in 2022 for $450,000.
Photo: Sotheby’s
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