The illustrious Birkin bag, created in 1985, was inspired by a chance encounter during a flight where Jane Birkin, frustrated with her lack of space, prompted Hermès CEO to sketch a new design on a sick bag. This unique prototype was sold to a private Japanese collector after an intense bidding war that lasted ten minutes at Sotheby’s, easily surpassing the previous record of $513,000 for a handbag.
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion, described the price as a testament to the legacy and allure surrounding the Birkin brand. The sold bag features several personalized elements - Birkin’s initials on the front flap, a non-removable shoulder strap, a pair of nail clippers attached, and remnants of stickers representing various charitable causes she supported.
After being owned by Birkin for a decade, the bag was auctioned off for charity in 1994 and later acquired by Parisian luxury boutique owner Catherine Benier, who held onto it for 25 years before recently selling it. The world-famous Birkin bag continues to symbolize exclusivity and status in the fashion arena, with some iterations commanding prices well into the tens of thousands of dollars, and celebrities like Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham among the elite owners.
