The very first Birkin bag — the model that launched what would become one of fashion’s most coveted accessories — has made history by selling for €8.6 million (£7.4 million; $10.1 million).
The sale, which took place at Sotheby’s in Paris, marks the highest price ever achieved for a handbag at auction.
This black leather handbag was created in 1985 for British-French singer and actress Jane Birkin after an impromptu conversation with Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of the luxury brand Hermès. The pair were seated next to each other on a flight when Birkin’s belongings spilled from her bag, prompting her to suggest that Hermès should produce a roomier, yet elegant handbag. Dumas sketched out a design on an airsickness bag, and the iconic Birkin was born.
The prototype sold at Sotheby’s on Thursday to a private collector from Japan, with the final price shattering the previous record of €439,000 (£378,000; $513,000), also achieved at Sotheby’s.
The auction house described a fierce 10-minute bidding contest between nine determined collectors. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, called the final figure “a startling demonstration of the power of a legend” and a reflection of collectors' desire to own a piece of fashion history.
“The Birkin prototype is the origin of an extraordinary story that turned into a modern icon — the Birkin bag, now the most sought-after handbag in the world,” Halimi said.
The €8.58 million total includes commission and fees, though Sotheby’s did not release a pre-sale estimate.
After Hermès created the bag for Jane Birkin, it went into production and quickly became one of the most exclusive symbols of luxury. Modern Birkins can cost tens of thousands of dollars, often with long waiting lists. Celebrities such as Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, and Jennifer Lopez are among its famous owners.
The original bag itself has unique characteristics, including Birkin’s initials on the front flap, a permanently attached shoulder strap, nail clippers she kept on the strap, and traces of stickers she placed in support of causes like Médecins du Monde and UNICEF.
Jane Birkin, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 76, used the original bag for a decade before donating it to a charity auction in 1994 to support AIDS-related causes. It was later purchased by Catherine Bénier, a luxury boutique owner in Paris, who kept it for 25 years before putting it up for sale this week.
The previous record for the most expensive handbag was set in 2021 by a White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28, also sold at Sotheby’s. Photo by Gorup de Besanez, Wikimedia commons.