The First Birkin Bag Inspired by Jane Birkin
Hermes Resale Prices Remain High... All Eyes on Final Auction Price
The original Herm?s "Birkin Bag" personally used by world-renowned British singer and actress Jane Birkin will be put up for auction next month. As Herm?s bags typically command higher prices on the resale market, there is significant interest in the final auction price of the original Birkin Bag.
According to Bloomberg News on June 8, the black Birkin Bag owned by Birkin will be auctioned at Sotheby's in Paris, France, on the 10th of next month.
Original Birkin Bag by Jane Birkin to be Auctioned on the 10th of Next Month [Image Source=Captured from Sotheby's Website]
Birkin moved to France at the age of 22 and was active as a singer and actress during the 1960s to 1980s, passing away in 2023. She became widely known to the public for "J'e T'aime... Moi Non Plus," a duet she performed in 1969 with her then-partner, French singer and composer Serge Gainsbourg.
Birkin, who was also famous for her sense of style, inspired the luxury Herm?s handbag, the Birkin Bag. In 1985, Birkin happened to meet Herm?s CEO Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight. She expressed her disappointment to Dumas, saying, "Herm?s does not have a handbag that is both elegant and practical enough for everyday use."
Inspired by Birkin's complaint, Dumas sketched the initial design of the Birkin Bag on an airplane sickness bag and created a bag exclusively for Birkin as a gift. The bag was later commercialized as the Birkin Bag and became a tremendous success.
In 1994, Birkin sold this bag to raise funds for an AIDS charity. The bag was auctioned again in 2000, and subsequently, a collector using the Instagram handle "Catherine B" acquired it and has now put it up for auction again.
According to a Sotheby's report, Birkin Bags are crafted within two days by designers who have undergone at least two years of rigorous training. Each bag is marked with codes that identify the year of production, the workshop, and the artisan.
Additionally, Herm?s maintains the exclusivity of its luxury status by producing only 4,500 to 5,000 new Birkin Bags each year. To purchase a Birkin directly from Herm?s, customers must have a purchase history with the brand. As a result, Birkin Bags are often traded at higher prices on the resale market than in Herm?s stores.
Meanwhile, the record for the highest price paid for a bag at auction belongs to the Herm?s Kelly Bag "Himalaya," which was sold for 4 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 510,000 US dollars, or about 690 million Korean won) at a Christie's auction in 2021.
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