In July 2025, the fashion world witnessed a historic moment: the original Hermès Birkin bag—designed in 1984 for actress and style icon Jane Birkin—sold for a staggering €8.6 million (US$10 million) at Sotheby’s Paris. This marks the highest price ever paid for a handbag at auction.
From Sketch to Icon

The bag’s story began aboard a Paris–London flight in 1981, where Jane Birkin shared her frustration over ill-fitting handbags with Hermès CEO Jean‑Louis Dumas. He sketched her a design on an airsickness bag—and the iconic Birkin was born. Crafted in 1984, this first prototype featured personalized touches: her initials “J.B.”, a fixed shoulder strap, gilded brass fittings, and even a built-in nail clipper. Unlike later models, Birkin used it daily for nearly a decade, adorning it with stickers and wear that only added to its legend

A Legendary Auction

The auction drew global attention, with nine bidders vying for ten minutes before a private collector from Japan secured the piece via phone. The €8.6 million final price shattered the prior record of roughly $513,000 held by a diamond-and-crocodile Hermès Kelly. Only Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, sold for $32.5 million in 2024, surpass this as the most valuable fashion item ever auctioned.
Why It Matters

As Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, Morgane Halimi, put it: “It is extraordinary to think that a bag initially conceived for utility has become the most coveted accessory in history.” The sale underscores how provenance, personal narrative, and craftsmanship can elevate an everyday object into a cultural and investment icon.