Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag has officially become the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction, fetching a record-breaking €8.6 million (approximately $10.1 million USD) at Sotheby’s in Paris. The historic sale took place on July 10, 2025, during the auction house’s prestigious “Fashion Icons” event.
The handbag, crafted in 1985, was the prototype for what would become one of the world’s most iconic luxury accessories. It was designed specifically for the late British-French actress and singer Jane Birkin, following a now-famous encounter with Hermès executive Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight in 1981. During the flight, Birkin sketched her ideal bag on an airplane sickness bag, inspiring the creation of the original Birkin model.
This original piece is distinct from later Birkin bags, featuring a fixed shoulder strap, brass hardware, mixed sizing, and Birkin’s engraved initials “J.B.” The bag also bears her personal touches, including stickers supporting humanitarian causes and a nail clipper attached to the zipper—items Birkin kept on it throughout her years of use.
The bidding lasted just over 10 minutes and saw fierce competition among nine participants. The winning bid came from a private collector in Japan, whose identity has not been disclosed. The final hammer price includes fees and shatters the previous auction record for a handbag, set by a Hermès White Himalaya Crocodile Diamond Kelly bag which sold for just over $500,000 in 2021.
Previously auctioned in 1994 to benefit the French AIDS charity Association Solidarité Sida, the bag was later acquired by collector Catherine Benier in 2000. Over the years, it has been exhibited in major cities including Paris, Hong Kong, and New York.
Jane Birkin, who passed away in July 2023 at age 76, used the bag regularly for nearly a decade. The extraordinary sale not only honors her enduring influence on fashion but also sets a new benchmark in the luxury collectibles market.
