Few accessories are more iconic than the coveted Birkin bag by Hermès—a bag so steeped in legend, exclusivity, and craftsmanship that it has transcended fashion to become a cultural institution. After the prototype was made in 1984, today this limited-edition creation has elevated to become iconic, to say the least, with even American shows like Sex In The City referencing its timeless appeal. Cut to 2025. Now, Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag will be up for a live auction, courtesy of Sotheby’s, during the upcoming Paris Couture Week.
Sotheby’s to Auction the Original Birkin Bag by Hermès
As per a release by Sotheby’s, Jane’s original Birkin is returning to the spotlight for the “first time in nearly 25 years.” Interestingly, the original Birkin was acquired by Paris collector Catherine B. in 2000. Last year, it was put up for public display at Sotheby’s Paris galleries; post which it was showcased at Sotheby’s flagship in Hong Kong this year. The bag also drew crowds at Sotheby’s in New York when it was on public display from June 6 to 12. Naturally, then, auctioneers are expected to beeline for the original Birkin handbag’s live auction at Paris Couture Week.
While Sotheby’s is yet to confirm the logistics of its first Paris-based Fashion Icons sale, the brand has confirmed that there will be a total of 30 lots, including vintage clothing items by Azzedine Alaïa, Alexander McQueen, and John Galliano.
Notably, the most expensive handbag ever sold at an auction was also by Hermès. Then, the White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourné Kelly 28 was auctioned at USD 5,13,040 (approximately INR 4,38,94,000) at Christie’s in Hong Kong in 2021.
What Makes the Birkin Bag So Special?
Symbolic of timeless elegance, this French-crafted handbag was first created in 1984 for British actor Jane Birkin, who was gunning for a stylish yet practical bag. Legend has it that when Birkin was flying First Class on an Air France flight from Paris to London, Jean-Louis Dumas, then CEO of Hermès, struck a conversation with the actor—who was lamenting about the small bags of the time—and sketched the design of what would become the Birkin. The prototype had two handles and was a tote-style smaller version of Hermès’ Haut à Courroies luggage. Famously, the British actor then went on to carry her bespoke bag everywhere, often embellishing it with activism stickers or even dangling nail clippers.
Today, each piece is handcrafted in France by a single Hermès artisan, a process that can take upwards of 40 hours. The leather is sourced from the finest tanneries, including Togo, Epsom, and exotic hides like crocodile and ostrich, all paired with hardware in gold, palladium, or ruthenium.
Of course, what drives its allure just as much as its craftsmanship is its deliberate scarcity. Unlike most designer pieces, the Birkin bag isn’t available for purchase online or over the counter. There are waitlists—though Hermès has never publicly confirmed their existence. Even well-heeled clients may be gently declined if they haven’t built the right relationship with the brand. This sense of inaccessibility heightens its mystique. The result? A global demand that outpaces supply, and a resale market where rare models routinely command six-figure price tags.
Sotheby’s and Christie’s now regularly feature Birkins in their luxury auctions, where collectors vie for pristine or storied pieces with the fervour typically reserved for vintage watches or rare automobiles.
But the question remains: how truly coveted is the original Birkin bag? We won’t know till the hammer falls.
