A Handbag for the Ages
Jane Birkin Hermès bag just rewrote fashion history, becoming one of the most valuable items ever sold at auction. The original Hermès Birkin bag — custom made for actress and style icon Jane Birkin — sold for a whopping €8.6 million ($10.1 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris on July 10, 2025.
With this price, the renowned purse now ranks as the second most expensive fashion item ever sold at auction, just behind the Wizard of Oz’s ruby red shoes, which fetched $32.5 million in 2024.
A Record-Smashing Auction
The winning bid of €7 million (before fees) stunned the room. The historic object was acquired by a private collector from Japan when the bidding skyrocketed above €6.8 million, having started at €1 million. During the 10-minute bidding battle, nine bidders competed in person, over the phone, and online.
The Hermès White Himalaya Crocodile Kelly handbag from 2021 set the previous record of $513,040.
Drawn on a Sick Bag and Now Legendary
Born on a flight headed for London in the 1980s, Jane Birkin herself first drew the Birkin bag on an aircraft vomit bag after spilling her possessions in midair. She informed Jean-Louis Dumas, the CEO of Hermès, that the purses of the day were not useful.
Moved by her idea, Dumas created the first prototype and named it in her honor. The final product, complete with Birkin’s initials (J.B.), was delivered in 1984 — the bag that just changed fashion auction history.
What Makes It Unique?
Sotheby’s highlighted seven features that make this Birkin truly one of a kind:
- Non-removable shoulder strap
- Gilded brass hardware and studs
- Nail clipper attachment (Birkin disliked long nails)
- More practical, mother-friendly design
It’s a handcrafted black leather icon that has transcended its accessory roots to become a global status symbol.
“More Than Just a Bag”
The Birkin bag, according to Sotheby’s, is no longer just a luxury item. It’s “a timeless cultural icon.”
From red carpets to celebrity closets, the Birkin has been immortalized in music, film, and fashion, evolving into one of the most desired handbags in history.
As Morgane Halimi, head of handbags and fashion at Sotheby’s, put it:
“It is incredible to think that a bag designed as a practical accessory has become the most desirable bag in history.”
Birkin’s Take on Her Legacy
Jane Birkin, who passed away in 2023 at age 76, once remarked:
“My obituaries will say, ‘Like the bag,’ or something. Well, it could be worse.”
The fashion world clearly agrees.
Source: AP News
