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The original Hermes Birkin bag made for Jane Birkin will be auctioned at Sotheby’s Paris Fashion Icons sale on July 10.
The original design is an all-black saddle-style leather bag with gold hardware. (Image: Instagram/Sothebys)
Struggling to get your hands on a Birkin bag despite having the means to afford one? The original Hermes Birkin bag, famously crafted for singer and actress Jane Birkin herself, is about to go under the hammer in an upcoming Sotheby’s auction. This iconic piece will be featured in Sotheby’s Paris Fashion Icons sale, scheduled for July 10.
Renowned worldwide for its exclusivity and unmatched desirability, the Birkin bag is a symbol of ultimate luxury. Even those with ample resources often find it difficult to acquire one due to its rarity. Now, the very first Birkin bag ever created is being offered to the public – a true treasure for fashion enthusiasts.
Let’s take a closer look at this historic handbag.
The original design is a saddle-style, all-black leather bag adorned with elegant gold hardware. It represents a timeless emblem of luxury that has shaped the fashion world for over four decades. The creation of this legendary bag came about following a serendipitous meeting on a flight between Jane Birkin and then Hermes CEO Jean-Louis Dumas.
In 1994, Jane Birkin decided to sell her personal Birkin bag to raise funds for an AIDS charity. As reported by Business of Fashion, “It was auctioned again in 2000, and has since belonged to the collector who goes by the name ‘Catherine B’ on Instagram. Her account biography on the platform says she’s the ‘proud owner of the first Hermes Birkin bag.’”
As reported by Times Now, Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, emphasised the significance of this piece, stating, “There is no doubt that the original Birkin bag is a true one-of-a-kind piece, a singular piece of fashion history that has grown into a pop culture phenomenon that signals luxury in the most refined way possible.” Sotheby’s assures that the bag will be presented in the exact condition it was in when used by Jane Birkin.
In a notable development, Jane Birkin requested that Hermes remove her name from the crocodile-skin versions of the Birkin bag. While the Birkin bag itself stands as a symbol of wealth and is adored by celebrities worldwide, the crocodile leather variants have drawn criticism from animal rights advocates. As The Guardian reported, Jane expressed her concerns: “Having been alerted to the cruel practices reserved for crocodiles during their slaughter to make Hermes handbags carrying my name … I have asked Hermes to debaptise the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place.”
This rare auction represents not only an opportunity to own a piece of fashion history but also highlights Jane Birkin’s ongoing commitment to ethical concerns within the luxury industry.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published: