Jane Birkin's Hermes bag is going to auction at Sotheby's

Consumers writer implicit Birkin container barriers

Consumers writer Hermès implicit barriers to buying Birkin bags 03:54

The archetypal Hermès Birkin bag, erstwhile worn by the precocious histrion and vocalist Jane Birkin, is heading to auction astatine Sotheby's this summer.

The leather handbag inspired what would beryllium go 1 of the world's astir desired, hard to get and priciest manner accessories. While the auction location resells a range of secondhand Birkin bags, ranging successful terms from $5,000 to $220,000, there's lone 1 original.

"No handbag successful the satellite carries arsenic overmuch taste value arsenic the Hermès Birkin. But earlier it became the eventual awesome of luxury, the Birkin was calved retired of necessity — crafted specifically for Jane Birkin herself," Sotheby's said successful a connection Thursday announcing the auction. 

Jane Birkin is pictured with her namesake bag, which is acceptable to spell up for auction astatine Sotheby's this summer.  Mike Daines / Shutterstock

The archetypal Hermès Birkin bag, which differs somewhat signifier the exemplary sold today, is connected point successful Sotheby's Fashion Icons auction, which takes spot successful Paris from June 26 to July 10. In the meantime, the archetypal bag, which belongs to a backstage collector, volition beryllium connected show successful astatine the auction house's New York office from June 6 to June 12. 

Chance encounter

Birkin, who died successful 2023 astatine property 76, was known for her artistry and style. In summation to her songs, including recordings with celebrated vocalist Serge Gainsbourg, she appeared successful classical films including Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 "Blow-Up." She was besides admired for her governmental activism, capaigning for Myanmar's pro-democracy question and the combat against AIDS, among different causes.

"Jane Birkin was a French icon due to the fact that she was the incarnation of freedom, sang the astir beauteous words of our language," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote connected societal media erstwhile she died.

An errant remark from Birkin to Jean-Louis Dumas, past the caput of Hermès, connected an Air France formation successful 1984 spawned the instauration of the Birkin bag, according to Sotheby's. At the time, Birkin complained she couldn't find a container large capable to accommodate her belongings for regular use. Dumas rapidly sketched a container that helium would spell connected to make, and aboriginal name, for her. 

The container is present made successful a assortment of colorways, leather types and sizes based connected the prototype Dumas made for the singer. But "the Original Birkin container is simply a existent one-of-a-kind — a singular portion of manner past that has grown into a popular civilization improvement that signals luxury successful the astir refined mode possible," Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's planetary caput of handbags and fashion, said successful a statement. 

Costly, not expensive?

Sotheby's has not indicated however overmuch the container could fetch. A spokesperson for the auction location told CBS MoneyWatch it volition supply an estimation to funny parties upon request, noting the bag's exceptional provenance. 

By comparison, Sotheby's sold Princess Diana's historical achromatic sheep sweater successful 2023 for $1.1 million, 14 times its estimation of $80,000. 

In December, Hermès creator manager Pierre-Alexis Dumas, told "60 Minutes" that the manner house's leather goods, including the Birkin bag, are arsenic costly arsenic they are due to the fact that the institution refuses to compromise connected prime oregon craftsmanship. He besides disputed the conception that Hermès goods are "expensive," portion conceding hey are "costly" to make. 

"The outgo is the existent terms of making an entity decently with the required level of attention, truthful that you person an entity of quality," Dumas told 60 Minutes successful the interview. "Expensive is simply a merchandise which is not delivering what it's expected to deliver, but you've paid rather a ample magnitude of wealth for it, past it betrays you. That's expensive."

Customers person accused Hermès of deliberately limiting accumulation of Birkin bags, a conception Dumas dismissed arsenic a "diabolical selling idea" that the institution does not employ. Rather, helium insisted, the institution can't support up with the enduring request for the Birkin bag, portion lone a fewer craftspeople are trained to marque the item..

"Whatever we have, we enactment connected the support and it goes," helium said. 

• Sotheby's