15-07-2025
Japanese firm wins auction for Hermes's original Birkin bag
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Japanese company won an auction in Paris for the original Birkin bag crafted by French brand Hermes for a record 1.47 billion yen ($10 million), the firm said Friday.
The black leather Birkin bag, named after and created for singer and actress Jane Birkin in the 1980s, has been sold to Valuence Japan Inc., a buyer and reseller of luxury items and jewelry. Sotheby's said the price for the iconic bag "set a new record for any handbag sold at auction."
Birkin, who died in 2023, owned the bag for 10 years before it was auctioned for charity. It has her initials "J.B." and still bears the marks of stickers she put on it, according to Sotheby's.
Valuence Japan described the bag as a "one of a kind" item, saying it has no plans to sell it but will preserve it for its cultural value.
