Jane Birkin’s first Hermès bag sold for more than €8.6 million in a heated auction

When a handbag sells for over €8.6 million, it’s no longer just an accessory—it’s a cultural artifact.

On July 10, 2025, in a packed Paris auction room, Jane Birkin’s original Hermès bag—the very first Birkin ever made—was sold for €8.6 million (roughly RM42.8 million) to a private collector from Japan. Gasps echoed through the room as the bidding soared past previous records, making this one-of-a-kind handbag the second most expensive fashion item ever sold at auction.

The highest bid came in at €7 million, but once Sotheby’s fees were included, the final price climbed even higher. It broke the previous handbag auction record by a landslide and now sits just behind Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which fetched US$32.5 million in 2024. But what makes this Birkin so valuable isn’t just the name or the leather—it’s the story stitched into every inch of it.

The origins of the Birkin bag read like something out of a film. In the early 1980s, Jane Birkin was on a flight from Paris to London when the contents of her straw basket spilled onto the floor. Sitting beside her was Jean-Louis Dumas, the head of Hermès at the time.

Birkin complained that she couldn’t find a handbag large enough for her everyday needs as a mother, artist, and frequent traveler. In response, Dumas handed her an air sickness bag. Right there on the plane, Jane sketched out what her dream handbag would look like—something simple, spacious, and functional.

Dumas was intrigued. He took the sketch back to his team, and Hermès designed the prototype the following year. It was handcrafted with black leather, gold-tone brass hardware, and Jane’s initials—JB—embossed on the flap beneath the lock. She kept that original bag for almost a decade.

Unlike the thousands of Birkin bags produced since, this one was made for one person, with her life in mind. It’s the only Birkin with a fixed shoulder strap—added for hands-free use during busy days. It also features a nail clipper, a quirky touch that suited Birkin’s famously casual style. She was never one for manicures or polish. The bag was also slightly larger and had more practical compartments than its successors.

This wasn’t a status symbol when it was made. It was a tool. A beautifully made one, yes—but still designed to hold diapers, notebooks, sunglasses, and anything else Jane needed on the go. That practicality, rooted in a moment of real life and need, is part of why the Birkin prototype is now seen as a priceless piece of fashion history.

Jane auctioned off the bag in 1994 to raise money for an AIDS charity. It sold again in 2000 and remained in private hands until this week’s historic sale. The most recent seller, known only as Catherine B, described the bag as “a star.” And she’s right. It’s not just a bag; it’s a chapter in the story of luxury, feminism, and personal style.

Sotheby’s described it as “more than just a bag.” It’s a pop culture symbol. A red carpet regular. A mainstay in the wardrobes of celebrities, stylists, and serious collectors. The Birkin’s value isn’t just in its craftsmanship—it’s in what it represents. Freedom. Functionality. Timelessness. It’s a symbol that has been photographed, referenced in music and movies, and whispered about on waiting lists that stretch for years.

Jane Birkin passed away in 2023 at the age of 76, but her influence continues to ripple through the world of fashion. Her laid-back style—messy bangs, oversized shirts, and unpretentious beauty—helped define French girl chic for generations. She paired elegance with ease, structure with softness.

In later years, she admitted that she didn’t always love having her name attached to such an expensive item. She even asked Hermès to stop using crocodile skin for the bag, citing ethical concerns. But she also knew the power of the symbol her name had become.

“There’s a certain irony to it,” she once said, referring to how many people knew her simply as “the woman behind the bag.” Still, she embraced the role. With humor, style, and grace.

You might wonder: why should anyone care that a bag sold for €8.6 million?

Because it reflects something much larger than fashion. This Birkin isn’t just about wealth or exclusivity. It’s about the story of a working woman who needed a practical solution—and ended up inspiring one of the most recognizable products in modern fashion history.

It’s a reminder that design begins with empathy. That even the most iconic things can have humble, human beginnings. And that storytelling, when layered with authenticity, can turn even a handbag into a living legacy. This sale doesn’t just mark a high point in fashion auctions. It reaffirms that design rooted in real life always holds more weight than something made purely for show.

The original Birkin bag started as a sketch on a vomit bag during a mid-air chat between a tired mom and a curious designer. Decades later, it has become a symbol of how everyday needs—if met with care, creativity, and craftsmanship—can reshape culture.

It’s not just a bag. It’s a moment in time. And now, it belongs to history.