Rare Hermès Birkin Framboise Alligator Bag Goes Up for Auction at Julien’s

A limited-edition Hermès Birkin is on the block as part of an auction hosted by Julien’s. Entitled “Bold Luxury: The Limelight Edit,” the full lot includes items once owned by Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Cher.

Two Birkins are for sale under the latest Bold Luxury banner, with the first being a black 25cm Epsom leather Birkin with gold-plated hardware, dated to 2021. The second, however, is much more rare: a Framboise Matte Alligator Birkin with palladium hardware, also 25cm and made in 2021.

The name of its pink red hue, Framboise, translates to raspberry. The body of the bag is made from Togo leather, a durable textile that Hermès introduced in 1997. Its alligator flap, handles and clochette, however, make it a rare find, as Birkins crafted with exotic skins are produced in very limited quantities.

Per Sotheby’s, matte alligator Birkins are increasing in popularity and value. Alligator skins are naturally shiny, meaning that it takes additional labor — i.e. buffing — to create a matte finish. Matte Hermès bags are also less likely to show scratches or water marks, making them a more durable option. Combined, these factors could affect the Framboise Birkin’s resale price, which is currently estimated at a high of $40,000.

Released in 1984, the Hermès Birkin has become a universal status symbol. Its namesake derives from the late actress and singer Jane Birkin, who famously sketched the initial design herself.

After meeting Hermès executive Jean-Louis Dumas on an airplane, she drew her Birkin blueprint on a sick bag. In need of a carry-all suitable for young mothers, she based it on one of the brand’s other popular models.

“I said, ‘Why don’t you make a bag that’s four times the Kelly that you can leave open?’ Because girls like to have things on the end of their arm to put all their stuff in,” Birkin told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in 2020.

Dumas added upon Birkin’s sketch by taking inspiration from Hermès’ Haut à Courroies, a favorite of her partner Serge Gainsbourg. Dumas eventually gifted the actress a black calfskin prototype of the Birkin, suggesting that the new purse be named after her.

“You know, when I’m dead, not only will people remember me for ‘Je t’aime moi non plus,’ but they’ll possibly only talk about the bag,” Birkin said in the same CNN interview.

Julien’s inaugural Bold Luxury sale took place last fall and featured multiple Hermès handbags. Celebrity highlights included a pair of Sarah Jessica Parker’s stilettos from “Sex and the City” and a silk scarf worn by Jennifer Garner in “13 Going on 30.”

Online registration and bidding for “Bold Luxury: The Limelight Edit” begin on Thursday and close on March 27. Register and bid online at juliensauctions.com.

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