Iconic Hermès Birkin Bag Sells for Record $10 Million

A piece of fashion history was made as the first-ever Hermès Birkin bag, crafted for British actress and singer Jane Birkin in 1984, fetched a staggering $10 million at a Paris auction yesterday, underscoring its lasting influence and value.

Heated Bidding War

The auction ignited a fierce competition among nine potential buyers. After a flurry of offers, the hammer finally fell, with the iconic bag landing in the hands of an anonymous Japanese buyer. The bag’s journey includes a 1994 sale by Birkin herself to benefit AIDS research, and a public auction 25 years ago by its then-owner, identified as “Catherine B.”

The Bag’s Origins

The creation of the Birkin bag traces back to a chance encounter in 1983. During a flight from Paris to London, Jane Birkin found herself sitting next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then CEO of Hermès. As she stowed her straw bag in the overhead compartment, its contents spilled out, prompting Birkin to lament the difficulty of finding a suitable leather weekend bag.

From Airplane Chat to Fashion Icon

Taking note of Birkin’s needs, Dumas designed a flexible black leather bag for her in 1984, drawing inspiration from a 1982 design. This bag soon evolved into a coveted status symbol. As of 2023, Hermès generated nearly 40% of its revenue from leather goods and saddlery, with bags like the Birkin contributing significantly to the brand’s success (Statista).

A Symbol of Status

Though Birkin initially used the bag, she later found it became too heavy. Over the years, the Birkin bag transcended its functionality, becoming a potent symbol of social standing, with prices ranging from $10,000 to $500,000.

Birkin’s Protest

Later in life, Birkin requested Hermès to remove her name from crocodile versions of the bag. She stated she did so “after they caught my attention to the cruelty in slaughtering crocodiles in order to manufacture the Hermes bag bearing my name, I asked Hermes to remove my name from the Hermes bags made of crocodile leather, so that better ways to adhere to international standards are found.” Jane Birkin passed away on July 16, 2023, at the age of 76.