Ten million dollars for a handbag. Of course, it’s not just any bag: it’s the original Birkin bag, the first one ever made, the prototype that in 1984 Jean-Louis Dumas, creative director of Hermès, custom-designed for Jane Birkin beginning the story of one of the most famous style icons ever, to the most famous bag in history.
In its first appearance on the market in twenty-five years, Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag caused a sensation at Sotheby’s in Paris yesterday afternoon: in fact, it sold for $10.1 million (for 8.6 million euros), a sum that qualifies it as the most valuable bag ever sold at auction.
After weeks of waiting, the auction opened at €1 million, eliciting a gasp from the room. Already with the first bid, the world record for a handbag - set in 2021 by the Kelly 28 Retournée in white Niloticus Himalaya crocodile by Hermès at $513,040 - was immediately surpassed. A fierce 10-minute bidding battle ensued among nine determined collectors, with bids coming in via phone, online and in the hall. In the end, the bag that changed fashion history was greeted with applause when it was sold to a private Japanese collector.
In a statement released following Thursday’s sale, Morgane Halimi, global head of handbags and accessories at Sotheby’s, described the sale as “an important milestone” for the history of luxury fashion. “It’s an amazing demonstration of the power of a legend and its ability to ignite the passion and desire of collectors looking for exceptional objects with unique provenance,” she said. “The sale of the original Birkin is also ultimately a celebration of the timeless spirit and allure of its muse, Jane Birkin.”
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| Original Birkin sold at Sotheby's for $10 million, is the most expensive handbag ever |
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