4 days ago
Jane Birkin's original Hermès bag to go on sale in Paris
The original Hermès Birkin handbag, the first one ever produced and owned by Jane Birkin herself, will be auctioned in Paris next month.
Birkin, the British-French actress, was gifted the prototype Birkin bag, often described as the world's most coveted fashion accessory, but sold the 'old faithful' to raise funds for an Aids charity in 1994.
The bag was inspired by a chance meeting between Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas, then the chief executive of Hermès, on a flight in 1984. Birkin's wicker basket spilt its contents, prompting her to say: 'The day Hermès makes one with pockets, I will have that.'
Dumas replied: 'But I am Hermès and I will put pockets in for you.'
Birkin sketched her ideal bag on a travel sickness bag and gave the design to Dumas, who eventually gave her the first bag he produced from it. Vintage Hermès bags now sell for more than £300,000.
• Jane Birkin carried a £10k bag with an air of 'Oh, this old thing'
Sotheby's will now auction the original black leather bag at its Fashion Icons sale on July 10. It will go on display at Sotheby's New York this weekend before it goes under the hammer near Birkin's home in Paris. Its first public exhibition was at Sotheby's Paris last autumn.
Birkin's initials are embossed on the black leather, which is covered in glue residue from her Unicef and Médecins du Monde stickers. The bag has a shoulder strap, unlike more colourful recent versions. It splits the difference between the 35cm and 40cm standard Birkin models, with a width and height of 35cm and a depth of 40cm.
The bag's hardware was made from gilded brass before it was later replaced with gold plating. The zips and bottom studs also differ from modern Birkin bags.
Birkin, who died aged 76 in 2023, was known for keeping her nails short and the original bag has a nail clipper hanging from a chain inside.
The 'original' was one of five Birkin bags gifted to the actress and it was said to be her favourite. After it started to show wear and tear, she sold it to an unnamed buyer to raise funds for an Aids charity.
In 2011, Birkin told Vogue: 'One bag is already quite enough. Any bag that's with me will take the same course as me. It will take the same airplanes, and will be squashed in the same way and will be used as a cushion in airports.' She called the bag a 'rather trivial piece of luggage'.
