The original Birkin, the first bag Hermès ever made for Jane Birkin, has sold at auction for €8.6 million ($10.1 million). Sotheby’s offered the prototype in its Fashion Icons sale, with bidding starting at about $1.17 million. It is the bag that started a legend, and the price shows how much people still value the story behind it.
How the Original Birkin Began
The story goes like this. Actress Jane Birkin was sitting next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then chairman of Hermès, on an Air France flight. She mentioned that she couldn’t find a handbag that worked for everyday life. Inspired by her complaint, the House made her one and presented it to her in the mid-1980s, asking if it could name the design after her.
Birkin carried that first bag for years. It shows decades of wear, kept exactly as she last used it. It still has her initials, J.B., and the nail clipper she always attached to the strap. Sotheby’s Morgane Halimi called it “a singular piece of fashion history.” For more stories about stars and their style, browse our Celebrity News section.
What Makes the Original Birkin Different
The original Birkin was a prototype made only for Jane, so it differs from the polished version Hermès later sold to everyone. Here are the main differences.
| Feature | Original Birkin | Later Production Bags |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 36 x 27 x 21 cm: the width and height of a Birkin 35 with the depth of a Birkin 40 | Standard Birkin sizes |
| Pontet Rings | Closed | Open until the early 1990s |
| Hardware | Gilded brass | Gold-plated, with a signature check mark |
| Inner Zipper | “Eclair” brand | Replaced by Riri zippers in the 1990s |
Two more details set it apart. It has smaller feet, the studs on the bottom, and it has a non-removable shoulder strap, which Sotheby’s says is the only one of its kind.
Papers That Came With the Bag
The bag was sold with its paper trail. That included the original certificate from the charity auction “Les Enchères de l’Espoir,” signed by Jane Birkin on October 5, 1994. It also came with the Hotel des Ventes du Palais auction catalogue from Poulain Le Fur, dated May 12, 2000, and the catalogue from the V&A’s 2020 “Bags: Inside Out” exhibition.
Original Birkin Auction Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 12 | Exhibition opens at Sotheby’s New York |
| July 3 to 9 | Showcase in Paris |
| July 10 | Online sale in Sotheby’s “Fashion Icons” auction |
| Result | Sold for €8.6 million ($10.1 million) |
You can see the listing on Sotheby’s.
Why the Original Birkin Matters
The original Birkin is not just a handbag. It is the start of a design that Hermès turned into one of the best-known status symbols in the world, and it later led to some of the most expensive bags ever sold. The sale also shows that collectors will pay a very high price for a piece with a real story and a famous owner, even when it looks worn.
That idea runs through luxury right now, from fashion icons to record-setting accessories. See how far it can go in our story on the $50 million Fantasy Bra Kylie Jenner wore, or how a house stays in the spotlight in our piece on Taylor Swift’s ice-blue Dior gown. More fashion news lives in our Fashion & Beauty section, and you can catch up on everything else in our Latest Stories.
FAQs: Original Birkin
How Much Did the Original Birkin Sell For?
It sold for €8.6 million ($10.1 million) at Sotheby’s, after bidding started at about $1.17 million.
What Is Different About the Original Birkin?
It is a one-of-a-kind prototype with closed pontet rings, gilded brass hardware, an “Eclair” zipper, smaller feet and a non-removable shoulder strap.
Who Was the Original Birkin Made For?
It was made for actress and style icon Jane Birkin, after she told Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas about her search for a practical everyday bag.
What Personal Details Are on the Bag?
It carries her initials, J.B., and the nail clipper she always attached to the strap.
