The Original Hermes Birkin Just Sold for a Record P570 Million

It’s now the most valuable fashion item ever sold at auction in Europe.

Published on Jun 6, 2025

The Original Birkin by Hermès, which has become a culturally significant sartorial symbol, is a coveted item of luxury that was crafted for and popularized by none other than Jane Birkin. And with her very own one going up for auction soon, the fashion world is vibrating with high anticipation.

Sotheby’s has confirmed that the bag is one of the pieces that will be showcased in their Fashion Icons auction in Paris, France on July 10, 2025. The bag is not just another iconic creation, but one that was born out of necessity and now carries a rich and personal history.

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PHOTO: Instagram/therunwayreviews.

The history of the Original Birkin traces back to a flight in 1981, when the actress and singer was seated beside 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’ lap—a chance encounter that would lead to fashion history,” Sotheby’s shared.

Four years later, Hermès presented her with the prototype of the Original Birkin—the very first of its kind, which has now evolved into a sought-after embodiment of craftsmanship and celebrity culture.

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Photo courtesy of Sotheby's.

Jane and her Hermès bag became understandably inseparable, as she has transformed it into a means of expression for her art, creativity, style, and individuality. Today, fashion enthusiasts all over the world explore ways to Birkin-ify their own bags, adorning them with charms and decorations that resonate deeply.

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♬ original sound - Amelia Liana

With that, the soon-to-be-auctioned saddle-stitched handbag owned by Jane herself (complete with her initials) will include a nail clipper that she hung in it.

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Photos courtesy of Sotheby's

Update:

The Original Hermès Birkin Shattered Records with a $10.1 Million Bid

The Birkin prototype created for and owned by Jane Birkin has finally found a new, stylish home after a month of anticipation.

To backtrack, the world record for a coveted handbag bid was set in 2021 by the Hermès White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28 at $513,040. With bids for Jane’s famed black leather handbag opening at $1.7 million or €1 million, auction records eclipsed immediately.

Aurélie Vandevoorde, the auctioneer at Sotheby’s Paris, opened by saying that “The Birkin has become a veritable fashion icon.” Naturally, prospective purchasers and collectors did not pass on the opportunity to get their hands on “the most famous bag of all time.”

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PHOTO: Instagram/sothebys, sothebysstyle.

An electrifying bidding war unfolded as prospective buyers placed their offers by phone, online, and in the very room where it happened, many of them toting their own Birkins. Yet despite the scuffs, scratches, and stains, there was something undeniably special about this prototype.

After a tense 10-minute showdown among nine collectors, the history-making handbag was sold to a private collector from Japan for a staggering $10.1 million (€8.6 million), or approximately P570.5 million, making it the most valuable fashion item ever sold at a European auction.

Kyla Villena loves a good lip gloss and a trip to the art gallery. She is Preview's beauty girl, who doubles as a self-proclaimed motivational speaker.