Jane Birkin’s Historic Hermès Bag to Be Auctioned in Paris

The iconic Hermès Birkin handbag, the very first one ever made and personally owned by the late Jane Birkin, is set to be auctioned in Paris next month.

This legendary bag, often referred to as one of the most desirable fashion items in the world, was initially given to Birkin as a prototype. In 1994, she sold the “old faithful” to support an Aids charity.

The creation of the Birkin bag was inspired by a chance encounter on a flight in 1984 between Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas, who was then the CEO of Hermès. Following Birkin’s wicker basket spilling its contents, she remarked, “The day Hermès makes one with pockets, I will have that.”

Dumas responded, “But I am Hermès and I will put pockets in for you.”

Birkin then sketched her vision for the bag on an air-sickness bag, handing the design to Dumas, who crafted the very first one based on it. Today, vintage Hermès bags can fetch over £300,000 at auction.

Sotheby’s will present the original black leather bag during its Fashion Icons auction on July 10. Prior to the auction, it will be showcased at Sotheby’s New York this weekend, following its public display at Sotheby’s Paris last autumn.

The black leather features Birkin’s initials embossed on it and shows remnants of glue from stickers from Unicef and Médecins du Monde. This classic model includes a shoulder strap and measures 35cm in width, 40cm in depth, and 35cm in height, placing it between the standard 35cm and 40cm Birkin sizes.

The bag’s hardware was originally crafted from gilded brass, which was later upgraded to gold plating. Its zippers and bottom studs also distinguish it from newer Birkin models.

Birkin, who passed away at the age of 76 in 2023, was known for her short nails, and the original bag features a nail clipper hanging from a chain inside.

This original bag was among five Birkin bags gifted to the actress and was reportedly her favorite. After it began to show signs of wear, she sold it to an unnamed buyer for charitable purposes.

In a 2011 interview with Vogue, Birkin stated, “One bag is already quite enough. Any bag that’s with me will take the same course as me. It will take the same airplanes, will be squashed in the same way, and will be used as a cushion in airports.” She described the bag as a “rather trivial piece of luggage.”