The First-Ever Birkin Is Headed to Auction

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Summary

  • Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin prototype is heading to Sotheby’s auction block.
  • The design will lead the house’s Fashion Icons sale in Paris on July 10.

For the discerning millionaire aficionados of fashion history, mark your calendars! The original Hermès Birkin bag once owned by Jane Birkin will be going up for auction at Sotheby’s in Paris this coming July.

The renowned bag, custom-made in 1984 for Jane Birkin by Jean-Louis Dumas, Hermès’ CEO at the time, served as the blueprint for the most sought-after fashion item globally. The original black leather model, known today as “The Original Birkin,” stands out due to seven special design features (like a shoulder strap, brass hardware, and a front flap bearing “J.B.” initials), which were not included in later versions of the Birkin bag.

In 1994, Jane generously contributed the initial design to support Association Solidarité Sida, a French charity dedicated to AIDS research. Six years after that, in an unspecified transaction, Catherine Benier, who owns a vintage store and collects items in Paris, acquired the bag. The auction house, Sotheby’s, has remained silent about the estimated value of the purse at the upcoming sale.

In the realm of fashion, it’s not often that a particular item rises above fleeting trends to achieve timeless greatness. The Original Birkin bag by Jane Birkin is one such instance, as observed by Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion.

Halimi compares the design to other auction items from Sotheby’s with equally impressive backgrounds, such as Princess Diana’s Black Sheep Sweater and Freddie Mercury’s Crown and Cloak. Just like those pieces, the Original Birkin could potentially break records, but our primary focus is on finding a new home that suits its iconic status and legendary history perfectly.

Prior to the auction, the Original Birkin has been exhibited globally. It was initially shown in Sotheby’s Paris Galleries last autumn and later at Sotheby’s Maison in Hong Kong this year. The bag will be showcased at Sotheby’s New York Galleries from June 6 to 12, after which it will be auctioned during the Fashion Icons sale on July 10.

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2025-06-05 21:25