The first-ever Birkin bag that was designed by French luxury brand Hermès for late actress Jane Birkin is set to be sold at auction in Paris next month.
The piece of modern fashion history is likely to spark a bidding frenzy with experts predicting it could fetch upwards of six figures.
The origins of this Birkin bag is steeped in fashion lore, beginning with a chance encounter between Birkin and the late Jean-Louis Dumas, the then CEO of Hermès, on a flight from Paris to London in 1984.
As Birkin recounted in a 2018 interview, the conversation sparked the conception of what would become one of the most iconic handbags in history.
“I had my agenda as usual banged full of bits of paper, and everything fell to the ground,” Birkin said during the interview.
She continued: “He said: ‘You should have pockets in that agenda’, I said: ‘What can you do? Hermès don’t make it with pockets’, to which he replied: ‘I am Hermès’.”
“I think I drew it on the sick bag – or the not-be-sick bag. And (Dumas) said: ‘I’ll make it for you’,” Birkin told “Vogue”.
That conversation ignited the inspiration that ultimately morphed into one of the most coveted handbags in fashion history.
After Birkin’s passing in 2023, the original bag, which she had generously donated in 1994 to support the French Aids charity, Association Solidarité Sida, was acquired in 2000 by Catherine Benier, a vintage store owner and collector based in Paris.
The prototype heading to the auction block at Sotheby’s in Paris on Thursday, July 10, is unlike any other Birkin.
Over the years, the Birkin bag has become a symbol of luxury and status, often fetching astronomical sums at auctions. However, this particular piece comes with a rich history, exhibited in prestigious venues like MoMA in New York and the V&A Museum in London, it has been regarded as more than just a handbag; it embodies the “soul” of early Birkin designs.
“This bag was the very beginning of Le Birkin and we know Jane was proud to have it,” said Aurélie Vassy, head of handbags and fashion at Sotheby’s.
The prototype’s allure is amplified by its unique features, distinctly sized, furnished with a shoulder strap unlike later models and adorned with brass hardware which was transformed in subsequent designs to gold-plated fittings.
Perhaps most telling is the front flap, embossed with the initials “J.B.”, an irreplaceable touch that cements its status as a priceless artefact.
As this extraordinary handbag prepares to change hands for the first time in 25 years, it is not merely a sale, it is a celebration of art, fashion and the unassuming elegance of Birkin’s spirit.
The auction takes place at the start of Paris Haute Couture Week, making it a fitting tribute to the legacy of one of fashion’s most enduring icons.
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