A used, scratched and stained bag, but with a legendary history. The original Hermès Birkin bag, personally used by Jane Birkin for years, sold for a whopping $10 million at an auction organized by Sotheby's, becoming the most expensive bag in history.
We're talking about the very first version of the Birkin, created specifically for the British actress and singer who gave her name to this now iconic accessory. She wore it every day from 1985 to 1994, long before it became a symbol of absolute luxury.
At the auction, the final bid was made by a private collector from Japan, after a 10-minute “battle” between 9 people. This was a historic moment for fashion.
Why was this bag sold for so much money?
According to Sotheby's, one of the world's largest and most prestigious auction houses, the "first" bag has several unique features that have never been reproduced, such as its size, strap design, hardware, and Jane's personal details. For example, the bag's flap bears the initials JB, and a small nail clipper hangs from its strap, because Birkin always liked to keep her nails in order.
The bag even still bears the stickers of the humanitarian organizations Médecins du Monde and UNICEF, a reminder of her commitment to social causes. Jane sold the bag in 1994 to help HIV/AIDS research.
In an interview with Christiane Amanpour in 2020, Birkin humorously said:
"When I die, maybe they'll only talk about the bag."
She passed away in 2023, at the age of 76, but her bag will live long in fashion history.
Unlike today's Birkin fans who keep their bags as relics, Jane used hers every day. And it wasn't designed for luxury, but for practicality! Legend has it that the idea for the bag was born during a Paris-London flight, where Jane complained to Jean-Louis Dumas (former CEO of Hermès) that she couldn't find a bag big enough for her suitcase, so she started drawing the bag she wanted on a vomit bag, which is found on airplanes.
The bag has changed hands several times since 1994, but has been on display at museums including MoMA in New York and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The latest owner, identified as Catherine B., said the moment of the sale brought her back emotionally to the time she herself fought to acquire this piece of history.
For comparison, in the past, the most expensive bags were diamond-encrusted or crocodile-skin Birkin bags, with prices reaching up to $500,000. But nothing comes close to this sales record.
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of luxury and fashion,” said Morgane Halimi of Sotheby's. “An indication of how powerful a legend is.”
And if you ever thought a bag couldn't be part of cultural heritage, think again. Because the bag that started out as a practical necessity is now worth more than many Manhattan apartments.
Source: CNN
