The term ‘iconic’ is used loosely in fashion media, but when it comes to the Hermès Birkin, no other term feels quite as fitting.
On Thursday, Jane Birkin’s original Hermès bag sold at auction for $10.1 million. The somewhat battered accessory was the highlight of Sotheby’s ‘Fashion Icons’ auction held in Paris - and sold to a private collector from Japan.
The famed design wasn’t just the blueprint for the world’s most coveted handbag - it was a one-of-a-kind prototype with design roots in the brand’s sac Haut à Courroies, originally made for equestrian gear. Crafted specially for the French muse, it featured seven unique details never again replicated in future Birkins, making it truly singular.
© Getty ImagesWorn daily for nearly a decade, Jane’s Birkin was more than a style statement. Covered in stickers for Médecins du Monde and UNICEF, it doubled as a canvas for her humanitarian beliefs, giving new meaning to the concept of luxury.
Though Hermès gifted her four more over the years, none ever matched the sentiment of the original. In 1994, she parted with it for a cause close to her heart, donating it to a charity auction for Association Solidarité Sida. Sold again in 2000, the bag remained in private hands.
© GettyRepresenting the pinnacle of fashion exclusivity, the Birkin is a favoured celebrity showpiece. Drake, Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham are among the list of stars who are known to be avid collectors of the iconic accessory.
According to Sotheby’s: “The story of the Birkin began in 1981 aboard an Air France flight, where Jane Birkin found herself seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then the artistic director of Hermès. As she tried to stow her belongings in the overhead compartment, Jane’s famous wicker basket spilled its contents onto Dumas’s lap - a chance encounter that would lead to fashion history."
"Frustrated with the small bags of the time, Jane lamented to Dumas that she couldn’t find a handbag large enough to hold her daily essentials, especially while traveling with her young daughter Charlotte. Inspired by Jane’s practicality and her signature style, Dumas sketched a bag that would marry function and elegance - a design that would become the Birkin.”
