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First ever Birkin bag to be auctioned in July [PICS]
The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend.
The prototype Birkin will be exhibited at Sotheby's in New York. Picture: iStock
The first Birkin bag, designed by French luxury brand Hermès for actress Jane Birkin in 1984, will be auctioned in Paris on 10 July 2025, Sotheby's announced on Thursday.
The large black leather tote, whose design went on to become one of the most famous and expensive bags in the world, will be the centrepiece of the 'Fashion Icons' sale, the auction house said.
This 'historic, handcrafted prototype', engraved with the initials J.B., has several unique features, including closed metal rings, a non-detachable shoulder strap and a built-in nail clipper.
The original Birkin crafted for Jane Birkin in 1985. Picture: ETX/Sotheby's©
The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend.
During a Paris–London flight, the Anglo-French singer and actress, who died in 2023, complained to a fellow traveller about not being able to find a bag suited to her needs as a young mother.
That fellow passenger happened to be Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes.
The result of their conversation was a spacious tote with room for baby bottles, created in 1984 and named the Birkin.
ALSO READ: SA-born artist Marlene Dumas breaks global record with over R245 million painting sale [PICS]
The bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online
40 years later, the leather handbag has become the flagship product of the luxury French leather goods maker.
Produced in very limited numbers, it maintains an aura of exclusivity, with prices ranging from several thousand euros for the simplest models to several hundred thousand euros for the most luxurious.
Beloved by celebrities including Khloe Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham, the bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online.
The prototype Birkin was exhibited at Sotheby's in New York from 6 to 12 June, ahead of the sale in the French capital.
In addition to the Birkin bag, the Sotheby's sale will feature iconic runway pieces from designers including Christian Dior, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen.
Bidding will open online on 26 June and close on 10 July.
NOW READ: 17-year-old Pearl Mathebula wins Miss Teen International in Peru
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The Citizen
8 hours ago
- The Citizen
First ever Birkin bag to be auctioned in July [PICS]
The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend. The prototype Birkin will be exhibited at Sotheby's in New York. Picture: iStock The first Birkin bag, designed by French luxury brand Hermès for actress Jane Birkin in 1984, will be auctioned in Paris on 10 July 2025, Sotheby's announced on Thursday. The large black leather tote, whose design went on to become one of the most famous and expensive bags in the world, will be the centrepiece of the 'Fashion Icons' sale, the auction house said. This 'historic, handcrafted prototype', engraved with the initials J.B., has several unique features, including closed metal rings, a non-detachable shoulder strap and a built-in nail clipper. The original Birkin crafted for Jane Birkin in 1985. Picture: ETX/Sotheby's© The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend. During a Paris–London flight, the Anglo-French singer and actress, who died in 2023, complained to a fellow traveller about not being able to find a bag suited to her needs as a young mother. That fellow passenger happened to be Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes. The result of their conversation was a spacious tote with room for baby bottles, created in 1984 and named the Birkin. ALSO READ: SA-born artist Marlene Dumas breaks global record with over R245 million painting sale [PICS] The bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online 40 years later, the leather handbag has become the flagship product of the luxury French leather goods maker. Produced in very limited numbers, it maintains an aura of exclusivity, with prices ranging from several thousand euros for the simplest models to several hundred thousand euros for the most luxurious. Beloved by celebrities including Khloe Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham, the bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online. The prototype Birkin was exhibited at Sotheby's in New York from 6 to 12 June, ahead of the sale in the French capital. In addition to the Birkin bag, the Sotheby's sale will feature iconic runway pieces from designers including Christian Dior, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. Bidding will open online on 26 June and close on 10 July. NOW READ: 17-year-old Pearl Mathebula wins Miss Teen International in Peru
IOL News
11 hours ago
- IOL News
Jane Birkin's iconic Hermès prototype handbag to auction in Paris
The very first Birkin handbag made for actress Jane Birkin will go under the hammer in July. The piece of modern fashion history is likely to spark a bidding frenzy with experts predicting it could fetch upwards of six figures. The first-ever Birkin bag that was designed by French luxury brand Hermès for late actress Jane Birkin is set to be sold at auction in Paris next month. As Birkin recounted in a 2018 interview, the conversation sparked the conception of what would become one of the most iconic handbags in history. The origins of this Birkin bag is steeped in fashion lore, beginning with a chance encounter between Birkin and the late Jean-Louis Dumas, the then CEO of Hermès , on a flight from Paris to London in 1984. "I had my agenda as usual banged full of bits of paper, and everything fell to the ground," Birkin said during the interview. She continued: 'He said: 'You should have pockets in that agenda', I said: 'What can you do? Hermès don't make it with pockets', to which he replied: 'I am Hermès'." 'I think I drew it on the sick bag - or the not-be-sick bag. And (Dumas) said: 'I'll make it for you',' Birkin told "Vogue". That conversation ignited the inspiration that ultimately morphed into one of the most coveted handbags in fashion history. After Birkin's passing in 2023, the original bag, which she had generously donated in 1994 to support the French Aids charity, Association Solidarité Sida, was acquired in 2000 by Catherine Benier, a vintage store owner and collector based in Paris. The prototype heading to the auction block at Sotheby's in Paris on Thursday, July 10, is unlike any other Birkin. Over the years, the Birkin bag has become a symbol of luxury and status, often fetching astronomical sums at auctions. However, this particular piece comes with a rich history, exhibited in prestigious venues like MoMA in New York and the V&A Museum in London, it has been regarded as more than just a handbag; it embodies the "soul" of early Birkin designs. 'This bag was the very beginning of Le Birkin and we know Jane was proud to have it,' said Aurélie Vassy, head of handbags and fashion at Sotheby's.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Why looking good is now a full-time job
We hike for Instagram, smile through bad haircuts, and moisturise while mocking moisturising. Vanity's a circus—and every one of us is in it. We don't just live—we pose, filter, and obsess. In today's world, vanity is more than a vice. It's an art form. Picture: iStock 'Humans are nature's most self-obsessed creation,' my neighbour grunts. 'If aliens ever show up, they'll probably be baffled by how much time we spend staring at our own reflections, posing for selfies and arguing over hair products,' he adds while moisturising his face with a sunblock-cream to avoid getting more wrinkles. He is over 60, by the way. He has a valid point. Once upon a time, but not so long ago, people took photos to capture beautiful memories. ALSO READ: How to survive the cold winter in Jozi Now, we take 347 selfies just to find the one where our left eyebrow looks slightly better. And don't even get me started on the 'candid' shots – there's nothing candid about posing like you just happened to be laughing in perfect golden-hour lighting. Nobody lifts weights in a gym any more – they lift for the mirror. You'll see someone staring at their reflection, flexing biceps they swear wasn't there yesterday. 'Is that … a new vein? Yes! 'Gains!' Few things in life are as traumatic as getting a bad haircut. One wrong snip and suddenly it's hat season for the next six months. And let's not forget the dramatic salon moment when the stylist holds up the mirror behind your head and asks: 'Do you like it?' ALSO READ: Mzansi & Co: A sitcom South Africans are already living Of course, you nod and smile – while mentally screaming: 'What have you done to me?' People will hike a whole mountain just to take a single glamorous photo, pretending they're one with nature – then immediately climb back down to find Wi-Fi and upload it. Bonus points if they caption it: 'Just out here, living my best life.' Humans will do anything to avoid looking old. Anti-ageing creams? Tick. Botox? Tick. 'Face yoga' that makes you look like you're chewing invisible gum? Tick. ALSO READ: Embracing the humour in life's chaos Meanwhile, turtles live to be 150 years old and don't stress over a single wrinkle. And those who take selfies and caption it: 'I just woke up like this.' No, you didn't. Nobody wakes up looking like a perfectly filtered influencer. We wake up looking like escaped cave creatures – hair in chaos, pillow lines tattooed on our faces and a vague sense of confusion about where we are. I have to agree with my neighbour. Vanity makes us do ridiculous things, but hey – maybe it's what keeps life entertaining. ALSO READ: Sibling rivalry is the gift that keeps on giving After all, if we didn't care about looking good, how would the beauty industry make its multibillions each year?
