In a move that has got the fashion world talking, the original Hermès Birkin bag, personally owned and used by the late Jane Birkin, is officially headed to auction. The legendary handbag, regarded as one of the most iconic fashion accessories ever created, will be the centerpiece of Sotheby’s Fashion Icons sale in Paris on July 10. Before crossing the block, it will be on public view at Sotheby’s New York from June 6 to June 12.
Sotheby’s confirmed the news with a social media announcement on Thursday, declaring, “It’s official: Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag is coming to auction at Sotheby’s Paris.”
For collectors and style connoisseurs, this is no ordinary Birkin. It is the original, crafted over 40 years ago as a prototype, designed specifically for Birkin after a chance encounter with then-Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas during a flight from Paris to London in 1981. Frustrated with the impracticality of luxury handbags at the time (Birkin was famously seen carrying wicker baskets), she voiced her concerns, and Dumas sketched what would become the Birkin on an airplane sickness bag. The rest, as they say, is fashion history.
All you need to know about the original Birkin bag, the Jane Birkin
Unlike the highly polished models that followed its debut in 1984, this prototype tells a more personal, storied tale. Used daily by Jane for nearly a decade, it bears signs of wear – scuffs, patina, and even stickers in support of humanitarian organisations like Médecins du Monde and UNICEF. Sotheby’s has identified seven unique characteristics that set it apart from the standard Birkin.
Among its distinctive features are:
A non-detachable shoulder strap: This is the only known Birkin to feature a fixed shoulder strap, an element not found in the commercial models, which either lack a strap or include detachable versions in rare editions.
Hybrid dimensions: The bag combines the height and width of a standard Birkin 35 with the depth of a Birkin 40, making its proportions entirely unique.
Gilded brass hardware: Rather than the gold-plated or palladium finishes seen today, Jane’s bag includes original brass fittings.
Closed metal rings (Pontets): A nod to Hermès’ heritage Haut à Courroies bags, these closed pontets were abandoned in later production models.
Miniature bottom studs: The original’s base studs are smaller than those found on current Birkins.
Éclair zipper: At the time of its creation, Hermès used zippers from the French company Éclair, years before they switched to Swiss-made Riri zippers.
Stamped with “J.B.”: The initials of the style icon are discreetly pressed into the leather flap, offering an intimate connection to its original owner.
A nail clipper on a chain: Known for her unfussy style, Jane added a personal touch – a nail clipper, attached to a chain inside the bag.
The prototype was sold by Jane Birkin herself in 1994 to support AIDS research. It eventually landed in the hands of a private collector known as “Catherine B,” who has now consigned it to Sotheby’s for an auction.
While Sotheby’s has kept the reserve price under wraps, expectations are sky-high. “The Original Birkin holds the potential to redefine records,” said Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, in a statement shared with AFP.
The current auction record for the most expensive handbag was set in 2017 at Christie’s Hong Kong, where a diamond-studded Hermès Birkin 30 made from crocodile skin fetched a jaw-dropping $510,000.
This July, it won’t just mark the sale of a handbag, but a moment in fashion history.
