Jane Birkin’s Original Hermès Birkin Prototype to Hit Sotheby’s Auction Block
Calling all fashion history buffs and millionaire collectors: the original Hermès Birkin bag, commissioned in 1984 for Jane Birkin by then-CEO Jean-Louis Dumas, is up for auction at Sotheby’s in Paris on July 10.
This legendary bag, known as the “Original Birkin,” set the standard for the most coveted fashion accessory in the world. It features seven unique design elements, including a shoulder strap, gilded brass hardware, and a front flap stamped with Birkin’s initials.
Originally donated by Birkin in 1994 to benefit the French AIDS charity Association Solidarité Sida, the prototype was later purchased by Parisian vintage shop owner and collector Catherine Benier. Sotheby’s has not released an estimate for the bag’s auction price.
According to Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, the Original Birkin is a rare fashion moment that transcends trends and becomes a legend. Halimi compares it to other auction items with “dazzling provenance,” such as Princess Diana’s Black Sheep Sweater and Freddie Mercury’s Crown and Cloak.
But above all, Sotheby’s priority is finding a new home worthy of the bag’s iconic status and legendary history. To showcase its significance, the Original Birkin has been on display at Sotheby’s galleries in Paris and Hong Kong, and will be on display in New York from June 6 to 12 before the auction on July 10. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of fashion history.
