Latest news with #ParisFashionIcons
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
First Ever Birkin Bag, Once The Most Expensive In The World Up For Sale Jane Birkin
The most expensive handbag in the world is on sale! Sotheby's has now revealed that Jane Birkin's iconic 'The Original Birkin' bag will be auctioned off during their Paris Fashion Icons auction on July 10 in Paris. This legendary bag was created in 1984, inspired by a chance meeting between Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas and actress Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. bollywood news | entertainment news live | latest bollywood news | bollywood | news18 | n18oc_moviesLiked the video? Please press the thumbs up icon and leave a comment. Subscribe to Showsha YouTube channel and never miss a video: Showsha on Instagram: Showsha on Facebook: Showsha on X: Showsha on Snapchat: entertainment and lifestyle news and updates on:
Mint
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
The first-ever Birkin Bag is up for sale; Here's how you can buy
Fashion enthusiasts or not, owning a Hermès Birkin Bag is a dream for many, even seen as a better investment. However, getting your hands on one is not as easy as it may seem- even those with deep pockets and powerful fashion connections often find themselves on endless waiting lists. But, what if we tell you the rarest of them all is about to become available to the highest bidder. Yes, it is the very first Hermès Birkin bag ever created, the OG, once made and carried by the iconic British singer and actor Jane Birkin, is going up for auction soon. The historic bag will be featured in Sotheby's Paris Fashion Icons sale on July 10, offering collectors and fashion enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of fashion history. The first Birkin bag is more than a fashion statement. It marks the beginning of a cultural phenomenon that today symbolises status, craftsmanship, taste and style, with prices starting at around $10,000. Crafted using sleek jet-black leather and accented with Hermès' iconic gold hardware, the first one is a saddle-style Birkin, engraved with the initials J.B. What makes it even more special is its origin story, which many might not know. In 1984, an encounter aboard a flight between style icon Jane Birkin and Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas led to the creation of what today we know as the most sought-after bag in the world. Going by the story, Birkin's straw tote spilled its contents mid-flight, prompting her to casually remark on the need for a bag that was both stylish and functional. At that moment, Dumas sketched a design on an airplane sick bag, and the first blueprint of the Birkin bag was born. The very first Birkin ever made was gifted to Jane Birkin herself. It was sold by Jane in 1994 to raise funds for AIDS research. The bag found a home when a private collector known only as 'Catherine B,' took it home. Once again the iconic bag will go under the hammer at Sotheby's Paris Fashion Icons sale. Sotheby's has declined to specify a reserve price for the legendary bag publicly. "The Original Birkin holds the potential to redefine records," Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global handbag and fashion head, said in a statement as per AFP. The current record for the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction was set in 2017 in Hong Kong, when a highly customised Hermès Birkin went under the hammer. The luxurious Birkin 30, crafted from rare crocodile skin and adorned with diamonds and white gold hardware, fetched an astonishing $510,000 at Christie's. The prototype Birkin will be exhibited at Sotheby's in New York from June 6 to 12 before being put on show in Paris. Bidding will open online on June 26 and close on July 10.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The very first Birkin bag ever made is going on sale
The first Hermès Birkin bag, originally designed for Jane Birkin, is up for auction at Sotheby's Paris. This iconic black leather bag, born from a chance encounter in 1984, was previously sold by Birkin for AIDS research. Expected to ignite a bidding war, the bag represents fashion history, ethical considerations, and timeless allure. Struggling to score a Birkin even with all the right connections (and credit cards)? You're not alone and now, the ultimate holy grail of handbags is up for grabs. The very first Hermès Birkin bag ever made, the one that started it all, originally designed for style icon Jane Birkin herself, is hitting the auction block this July. That's right, the Birkin is coming out of its rarefied vault for Sotheby's Paris Fashion Icons sale on July 10, and fashion history is about to have a new owner. Crafted in jet-black leather and finished with signature gold hardware, this saddle-style Birkin isn't just a collector's dream, it's a slice of sartorial legend. The story behind it? A chance encounter in 1984 between Jane Birkin and Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas aboard a flight, where her overflowing straw bag sparked a moment of genius and gave birth to fashion's most desired arm candy. An undated photo provided by Sotheby's shows the original Hermès prototype for Jane Birkin's iconic bag. The prototype for the Birkin bag will be sold at auction this summer. There is no estimate for how high the bidding may go. (Sotheby's via The New York Times) -- NO SALES; FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY WITH NYT STORY SLUGGED BIRKIN PROTOTYPE AUCTION BY MARISA MELTZER FOR JUNE 5, 2025. ALL OTHER USE PROHIBITED. -- Now, that exact bag-once sold by Jane herself in 1994 to raise funds for AIDS research, is returning to the spotlight. Previously owned by the elusive collector 'Catherine B' (yes, the one with the 'proud owner of the first Hermès Birkin' bio on Instagram), this icon is expected to ignite bidding wars and break records. 'This is a one-of-a-kind moment. The first Birkin is more than a handbag, it's a pop culture artefact,' said Morgane Halimi, Global Head of Handbags and Fashion at Sotheby's. And here's the kicker: it will be sold exactly as Jane Birkin used it, worn-in charm and all. But this isn't just a luxury fantasy. It's a reminder of Jane Birkin's bold ethical stance. She famously asked Hermès to remove her name from the crocodile-skin Birkin after learning of the disturbing animal cruelty practices involved. 'I have asked Hermès to debaptise the Birkin Croco,' she said in a statement that shook the luxury world. With this sale, the original Birkin reclaims centre stage - not just as a style status symbol, but as a cultural relic that tells a bigger story about fashion, ethics, and timeless allure. If there's ever been a handbag worth fighting over, this is it. Let the bidding begin. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Can't get your hands on a Birkin? Here's your chance to own THE original Birkin
It's nearly impossible to walk inside an Hermes store and come home with a new Birkin bag. But if you wanted to get your hands on the original Birkin bag – the prototype made for actress Jane Birkin – it is going up for auction. It will be sold as part of a Paris Fashion Icons sale, which Sotheby's is holding July 10. The bag will be on view at Sotheby's in Manhattan through Tuesday and then transported – representatives would not say how, citing security concerns – to Sotheby's Galleries in Paris, where it will be on view from July 3-9. There is no public estimate for how much the bag might fetch. 'At this stage we will communicate it privately to potential bidders,' said Morgane Halimi, the global head of handbags and fashion for Sotheby's. 'Obviously it is a one-of-a-kind piece, completely apart from any other handbag, or any other Birkin. We are breaking records with Birkin bags on a regular basis at auction. "We foresee it to be as unique as the Diana jumper or a worn jersey from the NBA. It has value because of what it is and what has happened because of that bag.' This is the original bag made in 1984 for Jane, who was an icon of French cinema. The story behind the bag has become something of a fashion legend. Jane was on an Air France flight to London from Paris and had been upgraded to first class. The basket bag she carried, her signature for decades, was in poor shape. As she boarded the plane, the contents started to spill out: wallet, keys, business cards, diapers, cigarettes, glasses. Read more: Birkin handbag maker faces class-action lawsuit in the US over 'refusal' to sell Her seatmate happened to be Jean-Louis Dumas, then the CEO of Hermes, the luxury house founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermes. Jane and Dumas talked about how she needed a bag that could fit all of her necessities and they began to sketch out an idea on an airsickness bag. Their concept had two handles like a tote, and somewhat resembled a shrunken version of the Haut A Courroies luggage that Hermes made. Her custom bag became the prototype of the Birkin, which was named after her. The bag became desirable partly for its rarity. 'There are a limited number of them created each year,' Halimi said. 'There is the craftsmanship: you can repair it and restore it and cherish it. And then in a world of fast fashion and seasonal trends, it's not going to be out of style anytime soon. If you are offered one to buy at Hermes, you feel like part of this small club.' The Birkin has become a fixture in pop culture since its inception, name checked in many song lyrics and appearing as a plotline on a 2001 episode of Sex And The City that included the memorable line: 'It's not a bag, it's a Birkin!' This original bag is different in several ways from the commercially available Birkins. Its size is unique, with a height of just under 14 inches and a depth of just under 16 inches; its strap is not removable; the hardware is made of brass; the inner zipper is from a different manufacturer; the studs on the bottom are a different shape. And one more detail: a nail clipper that Jane had hung on the outside of the bag is included. She was known for not being precious with her Birkins. She covered some in stickers for political causes and frequently hung trinkets off them. A 2022 file picture shows Catherine Benier at her boutique in Paris. The Birkin prototype was purchased at auction by Benier in 2000. She decided to sell it after seeing how many people came to visit it. Photo: The New York Times On social media, fans have taken to posting their own charm-laden bags or phones, which some call 'Birkinifying'. Over the past year, imitations – or homages – to the bag have gotten notice online, including the Boatkin. The original Birkin, though, has remained a subject of intense fascination. It was exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art as part of the show Items: Is Fashion Modern? that ran from 2017 to 2018, and again in 2020 at London's Victoria and Albert Museum as part of the exhibition Bags Inside Out . Sotheby's displayed it in the company's Paris galleries in October 2024, and at Sotheby's Maison, Hong Kong in April 2025. Thousands of people came to see the bag at the Sotheby's showings, Halimi said. Jane, who died in July 2023, owned five Birkin bags over the course of her life, one of which sold for around US$160,000 (approximately RM677,000) in a 2021 auction. This prototype, which has the added value of being the original, was sold by Jane at a charity auction for Aids in October 1994. It went to auction again in May 2000, at Poulain-Le Fur, and was purchased by Catherine Benier, a prominent collector and the owner of the Les 3 Marches de Catherine B vintage shop in Paris, for an undisclosed price. Read more: Like the famous bag named after her, Jane Birkin is a style icon 'Acquiring the first Birkin from Hermes was a dream of mine as a collector,' Benier wrote in an email. She said she had read about the 1994 auction but didn't participate, and was determined to win the 2000 auction when she heard about it in advance. 'I got the bag after fierce bidding between myself and other foreign bidders… It's the jewel in my collection.' Benier kept the bag stored, but the crowds who visited it last fall influenced her decision to sell. 'A collection is only worth it if it's shared,' she wrote. She expects the bag to set records, but would not specify a desired number. 'Twenty-five years ago when I acquired it, it was already the most expensive bag in the world,' she wrote. 'All these elements fuel the legend of the first Birkin bag, so certainly a price exists, but what is it? This bag is the object of a lifetime, it's a legend, an icon. Does a legend have a price? Certainly.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
The Bag That Started It All: Jane Birkin's Original Hermès Bag Up For Auction Soon
Last Updated: The original Hermes Birkin bag made for Jane Birkin will be auctioned at Sotheby's Paris Fashion Icons sale on July 10. Struggling to get your hands on a Birkin bag despite having the means to afford one? The original Hermes Birkin bag, famously crafted for singer and actress Jane Birkin herself, is about to go under the hammer in an upcoming Sotheby's auction. This iconic piece will be featured in Sotheby's Paris Fashion Icons sale, scheduled for July 10. Renowned worldwide for its exclusivity and unmatched desirability, the Birkin bag is a symbol of ultimate luxury. Even those with ample resources often find it difficult to acquire one due to its rarity. Now, the very first Birkin bag ever created is being offered to the public – a true treasure for fashion enthusiasts. Let's take a closer look at this historic handbag. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sotheby's (@sothebys) The original design is a saddle-style, all-black leather bag adorned with elegant gold hardware. It represents a timeless emblem of luxury that has shaped the fashion world for over four decades. The creation of this legendary bag came about following a serendipitous meeting on a flight between Jane Birkin and then Hermes CEO Jean-Louis Dumas. In 1994, Jane Birkin decided to sell her personal Birkin bag to raise funds for an AIDS charity. As reported by Business of Fashion, 'It was auctioned again in 2000, and has since belonged to the collector who goes by the name 'Catherine B' on Instagram. Her account biography on the platform says she's the 'proud owner of the first Hermes Birkin bag.'" As reported by Times Now, Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, emphasised the significance of this piece, stating, 'There is no doubt that the original Birkin bag is a true one-of-a-kind piece, a singular piece of fashion history that has grown into a pop culture phenomenon that signals luxury in the most refined way possible." Sotheby's assures that the bag will be presented in the exact condition it was in when used by Jane Birkin. In a notable development, Jane Birkin requested that Hermes remove her name from the crocodile-skin versions of the Birkin bag. While the Birkin bag itself stands as a symbol of wealth and is adored by celebrities worldwide, the crocodile leather variants have drawn criticism from animal rights advocates. As The Guardian reported, Jane expressed her concerns: 'Having been alerted to the cruel practices reserved for crocodiles during their slaughter to make Hermes handbags carrying my name … I have asked Hermes to debaptise the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place." This rare auction represents not only an opportunity to own a piece of fashion history but also highlights Jane Birkin's ongoing commitment to ethical concerns within the luxury industry. First Published: June 06, 2025, 14:53 IST
