Jane Birkin’s Original Hermès Birkin Bag Sells for Record $10.1 Million
Jane Birkin’s personal Hermès Birkin bag has just sold for more than $10.1 million at a Paris auction, making it the most expensive handbag ever sold. The record-breaking sale took place on July 10 at Sotheby’s. A private collector in Japan placed the winning bid by phone after a fast-paced, 10-minute bidding war.
Originally created in 1984, the bag marked the beginning of the now-famous Birkin line. Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas designed it after Birkin said she needed a practical handbag. He drew the first sketch on an airplane sick bag.
Actress Jane Birkin used the prototype heavily for years. She added stickers from UNICEF and Médecins du Monde, hung silver nail clippers from the zipper, and had her initials “J.B.” engraved. She also attached a custom shoulder strap. Though the bag showed signs of wear, bidders viewed it as a historic fashion item.
- Sold for €8.6 million (about $10.1 million)
- Auctioned at Sotheby’s Paris on July 10, 2025
- Purchased by a private Japanese collector
- Featured stickers, nail clippers, and Birkin’s initials
- Previously auctioned in 1994 and 2000
Sotheby’s said, “Jane Birkin didn’t treat this bag as a trophy. She wore it, lived with it, and made it her own.”
With this sale, the Birkin prototype now ranks as the second-most valuable fashion item ever auctioned, just behind Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
More…
- https://people.com/jane-birkin-hermes-birkin-bag-sells-at-sothebys-auction-for-whopping-amount-11769928
- https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/original-birkin-bag-sells-auction-record-10-million-2025-07-10
- https://news.artnet.com/art-world/hermes-birkin-bag-sale-sothebys-2666475
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