Auction history made: Jane Birkin’s original Hermès bag fetches R179 million

In a breathtaking display of luxury and exclusivity, the original Birkin bag has set a new benchmark in the world of high fashion.

Sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris on Thursday, July 10, for a staggering €8.58 million (R179.8 million), the iconic black leather handbag once owned by late singer and actress Jane Birkin underlines the insatiable demand for unique luxury collectables. 

The bidding war, which lasted for just over 10 electrifying minutes, unfolded with bids coming in over the phones, online and in the room.

In the end, the handbag that changed fashion history was met with applause as it was sold to a private collector from Japan.

The original Birkin bag, commissioned in 1984 for Jane Birkin by Hermes International SCA’s then-CEO Jean-Louis Dumas, is now widely regarded as one of the most sought-after handbags in the world.

It was born from a chance encounter on a flight when Birkin expressed her frustrations over the lack of spacious handbags to Dumas, leading him to sketch a design on a “sick bag”.

Little did they know that this chance encounter would give birth to a fashion phenomenon that transcends generations.

As the hammer fell in the Paris auction house, the bag’s sale shattered the previous record held by the Hermès Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28, which features 18-carat white gold and diamond hardware, which sold for a modest $510 000 in 2021.

This time, the anonymous Japan-based buyer emerged victorious. 

“Today it’s the most sought-after bag that everybody dreams about,” reflected the seller, Catherine Baignères, who had cared for the bag for the past 25 years.

She revealed online that the bag was kept in a safe environment, treated with the utmost care to preserve its allure and integrity.

“I had it in a safe-like location, appropriate temperatures, but occasionally took it out for some events,” she shared in an online report.

Birkin owned the original bag for a decade before auctioning it off in 1994 to support the French Aids charity, Association Solidarité Sida. 

The item was then acquired by Baignères, who owned a luxury boutique in Paris and cherished it for the next 25 years.

The original Birkin’s unique provenance, coupled with its rich history, has transformed it into a cultural icon.

According to Morgan Halimi, head of Bags and Fashion at Sotheby’s, this sale is an “impressive demonstration of the power of the legend” surrounding the Birkin bag.

“There is no doubt that the Original Birkin bag is a true one-of-a-kind, a singular piece of fashion history that has grown into a pop culture phenomenon that signals luxury in the most refined way possible.

"It is incredible to think that a bag initially designed by Hermès as a practical accessory for Jane Birkin has become the most desirable bag in history," said Halimi.

With notable owners including the likes of Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, and Jennifer Lopez, the Birkin bag has solidified its status as a definitive status symbol.

The original Birkin bag now holds the title of the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction, capturing the imaginations of fashion lovers and collectors.