The iconic accessory originally designed for Jane Birkin in 1985 has set a new benchmark in the world of high fashion, with its sale price of £7.4 million surpassing all expectations.
Titling a Timeless Trend: The Historic £7 Million Sale of the Original Birkin Bag
Titling a Timeless Trend: The Historic £7 Million Sale of the Original Birkin Bag
The original Birkin bag, an emblem of luxury and style, has made headlines with its record-breaking auction sale.
The original Birkin bag has now reached unprecedented heights, sold for a staggering €8.6 million (£7.4 million; $10.1 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris, making it the most valuable handbag ever sold in auction history. This exclusive black leather design was created specifically for Jane Birkin, the talented singer and actress, after she famously expressed a need for a larger bag during a flight with the Hermès CEO. In a twist of fate, the bag’s design was deftly sketched on an air sickness bag, marking the beginning of a legend.
The auction drew an "electrifying" ten-minute bidding war among nine avid collectors, as reported by Sotheby’s, highlighting the enduring appeal of the Birkin bag. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, emphasized the immense value of items with unique provenance, stating, “The Birkin prototype is exactly that, the starting point of an extraordinary story that has given us a modern icon.”
The teeming interest led to this prototype bag, boasting Birkin's initials and personal touches, fetching over five times the previous record of €439,000 (£378,000; $513,000). After being owned by Birkin for a decade, she donated it for charity in 1994. Its latest owner, Catherine Benier, cherished the bag for 25 years before its recent sale. Birkin died in 2023, leaving behind not just her iconic name but a legacy that continues to attract celebrity adoration and extravagant pricing, with some styles demanding tens of thousands and long waiting lists.
