Hantuchova hails French underdog hero
Daniela Hantuchova previews the women's singles quarter-final between French wildcard Lois Boisson and sixth seed Mirra Andreeva.

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Man of Many
6 hours ago
- Man of Many
Original Birkin Bag Crafted For Jane Birkin Heads to Auction
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 6 June 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Jane Birkin's original 1985 Birkin is going to auction July 10. Expected to break the Birkin price record of over USD$450,000. Custom prototype: unique size, hardware, and non-removable shoulder strap. Includes original charity auction certificate signed by Jane Birkin. Exhibited at MoMA and V&A museums before entering private collection. Likely to become the most expensive Birkin bag ever sold, Sotheby's is auctioning off the Original Birkin Crafted For Jane Birkin in 1985 at an auction on July 10th, 2025. While auction estimates are withheld, the bag will likely eclipse the USD$450,000 plus sales price of the Diamond Himalaya Birkin 30, which sold at Sotheby's in 2022. It's not often that handbags carry provenance, but this Birkin is different. The story goes that the actress was sitting alongside Jean-Louis Dumas, the French billionaire businessman who was the chairman of the Hermès group from 1978 to 2006, on an Air France flight. She complained that she couldn't find a bag big enough for daily life, so the brand designed one and asked if they could name it after her. The rest is history, as they say. Now, her original bag is headed to auction, and it carries serious provenance not just from Jane Birkin, but from those who have held onto the bag since she donated it at Millon, Paris, Les enchéres de I'espoir, Association Solidarité Sida on Wednesday, October 5, 1994, Théâtre de l'Empire. It was sold in Poulain Le Fur, Paris, on Friday, May 12 2000 (lot 70) and has sat in a private collection (and museums) ever since. The Original Birkin Crafted For Jane Birkin, 1985 | Image: Sotheby's What's interesting about this Birkin is that it's a prototype. There are key differences between this and the bag that would eventually hit the production run in 1985, including: It has the width and height of a Birkin 35, but the depth of a Birkin 40 Size : 36 x 27 x 21 cm: W It features closed pontet rings, whereas rings remained open at the bottom until the early 1990s There's gilded brass hardware, replaced by gold-plated hardware (with a check mark) at launch 'Eclair' branded inner zip, which was replaced by Riri Company in the 1990s Smaller bottom studs, or 'feet' It has a non-removable shoulder strap, the only one of its kind Not only is this bag made in a one-off custom size, but it comes in the same condition in which it was auctioned for charity by Jane Birkin. That means that you're getting a bag that was crafted for the namesake and lovingly used by the namesake until it was passed on, and it comes in the same condition as it hasn't been used since. Heck, it's even branded with her initials, J.B., and inside is the nail clipper that she kept hanging from the bag's strap. The Original Birkin Crafted For Jane Birkin, 1985 | Image: Sotheby's The Original Birkin Crafted For Jane Birkin, 1985 | Image: Sotheby's The Original Birkin Crafted For Jane Birkin, 1985 | Image: Sotheby's The Original Birkin Crafted For Jane Birkin, 1985 | Image: Sotheby's The lucky buyer will also recieve the original certificate of the charity auction 'Les Enchères de l'Espoir,' which was signed by Jane Birkin, 5 October 1994 alongside the original Hotel des Ventes du Palais auction catalogue, Poulain Le Fur, 12 Mai 2000, and exhibition catalog 'Bags Inside Out', V&A, 2020. Given the provenance of this bag, it was exhibited at the MoMA in New York for the ' Items: Is Fashion Modern?,' exhibition in 2018 before it was sent to London's Victoria and Albert Museum for the 'Bags Inside Out' exhibition in 2020. Now, it's hitting the auction block at Sotheby's on July 10th, 2025, where it will likely make history as the most expensive Birkin ever sold.

Sydney Morning Herald
18 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman purchase Aussie sailing team
Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds has added another sporting team to his stable, purchasing Australia's Sail GP team with celebrity best friend and co-star Hugh Jackman. Reynolds famously purchased Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC with actor Rob McElhenney in 2021, with the club sealing a record third consecutive promotion earlier this year. The duo were also part of a group of investors to buy a €200 million share in French Formula 1 team Alpine in 2023. However, Reynolds has now teamed up with his Deadpool and Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman for his latest purchase of Australia's three-time championship winning team, which is led by Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby. The Australian team will also be re-branded as the BONDS Flying Roos SailGP team under the new ownership and sponsorship. Sail GP is a global sailing league where teams race hydrofoils that reach speeds exceeding 100km/h. The 12-team league travels around the world, where teams race across two days, with the top three teams taken into the final race at each location. Reynolds and Jackman released a brief statement about the purchase on Thursday night.

The Age
18 hours ago
- The Age
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman purchase Aussie sailing team
Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds has added another sporting team to his stable, purchasing Australia's Sail GP team with celebrity best friend and co-star Hugh Jackman. Reynolds famously purchased Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC with actor Rob McElhenney in 2021, with the club sealing a record third consecutive promotion earlier this year. The duo were also part of a group of investors to buy a €200 million share in French Formula 1 team Alpine in 2023. However, Reynolds has now teamed up with his Deadpool and Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman for his latest purchase of Australia's three-time championship winning team, which is led by Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby. The Australian team will also be re-branded as the BONDS Flying Roos SailGP team under the new ownership and sponsorship. Sail GP is a global sailing league where teams race hydrofoils that reach speeds exceeding 100km/h. The 12-team league travels around the world, where teams race across two days, with the top three teams taken into the final race at each location. Reynolds and Jackman released a brief statement about the purchase on Thursday night.