A worn, well-loved black leather Birkin bag has just become the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction, fetching €8.6 million ($10 million) including fees. The hammer price landed at €7 million ($8.2 million), capping off a 10-minute bidding war among nine collectors during a luxury fashion sale hosted online by Sotheby’s.
This particular Birkin isn’t just any designer bag — it’s the very first one ever made by Hermès, custom-designed in 1984 for British singer and actress Jane Birkin. She used the bag daily from 1985 to 1994, before parting with it to raise funds for AIDS research. Since then, the bag has changed hands a few times and appeared in high-profile exhibitions at major museums in New York and London.
Despite its scuffs, scratches, and visible wear, this original Birkin sparked fierce bidding and ultimately went to a private collector from Japan. The bag’s imperfections, including discoloration from stickers supporting humanitarian causes like Médecins du Monde and UNICEF, are part of what made it so coveted — adding authenticity and a sense of history.
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and accessories, described the sale as a major moment in luxury fashion history. She called it “a startling demonstration of the power of a legend” and a tribute to Birkin’s enduring influence.
Previous record-setting handbags — such as a diamond-studded “Himalaya Birkin” and various crocodile-skin versions — sold for less than a tenth of this final price. Until now, the most expensive handbag sold at auction was a diamond-and-crocodile Kelly bag, which brought in just over $513,000.
The original Birkin has several unique features that set it apart from later models. It includes Jane Birkin’s initials “J.B.” on the front flap, silver hardware not used in newer designs, and a pair of silver nail clippers she kept on the strap for trimming her nails — a signature personal touch.
The story of the Birkin bag itself is just as legendary. It was born on a flight from Paris to London, where Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas sat next to Jane Birkin. She explained her need for a stylish yet functional handbag — something large enough to replace the wicker basket she’d been using, which accidentally spilled on Dumas mid-flight. At his request, she sketched out her ideal design on an airplane sick bag. Hermès delivered the prototype the next year and gifted her four more throughout her life. She received royalties from the bag’s name but donated them to charity annually.
Birkin, who passed away in 2023 at age 76, once joked that her namesake bag might outlive her legacy. “When I’m dead… people will possibly only talk about the bag,” she once quipped.
What began as a practical accessory tailored to a busy mother’s needs has now become the most sought-after luxury item in the fashion world — a testament to Birkin’s lasting influence and the cultural icon her name inspired.
