First ever Birkin bag heads to auction at Sotheby's
The value of the prototype has not been disclosed. Photo: AFP
The first-ever Birkin bag that was designed by French luxury brand Hermes for actress Jane Birkin is set to be sold at auction in Paris, with the piece of modern fashion history likely to spark a bidding frenzy.
The Birkin has become a modern design icon that is so exclusive that Hermes only offers it to loyal clients, with prices starting at around $10,000.
Auction house Sotheby's, which is handling the sale of the Birkin prototype in Paris on July 10, declined to specify a reserve price publicly and its value is hard to forecast.
"The Original Birkin holds the potential to redefine records," Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global handbag and fashion head, said in a statement.
The previous record sale price for a handbag at auction was set by a highly customised Birkin in Hong Kong in 2017.
The diamond-encrusted crocodile-skin Birkin 30 with white gold details fetched $510,000 at Christie's.
The seller of the original Birkin is well-known Paris-based handbag collector and dealer Catherine Benier whose appointment-only boutique in the high-end 6th district of the capital has a cult following.
Benier told The New York Times that the bag was the "jewel in my collection".
It has changed hands twice since being put up for sale by Birkin at an auction in 1994 where the proceeds went to an AIDS charity, Sotheby's said.
The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend.
During a Paris-London flight, the singer and actress — who died in 2023 — complained to a fellow traveller about not being able to find a bag suited to her needs as a young mother.
That fellow passenger happened to be Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes.
The result of their conversation was a spacious tote with room for baby bottles, created in 1984 and named the Birkin.
It is engraved with the initials JB and has several unique features, Sotheby's said, including closed metal rings, a non-detachable shoulder strap and a built-in nail clipper.
Its condition "reflects the many years of use by the actress and singer," Sotheby's said.
The prototype Birkin will be exhibited at Sotheby's in New York from June 6 to 12 before being put on show in the French capital before the sale.
In addition to the Birkin bag, the Sotheby's "Fashion Icons" sale will feature runway pieces from designers including Christian Dior, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen.
Bidding will open online on June 26 and close on July 10.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
14 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Prada CEO Gianfranco D'Attis to step down at end of June
Italian luxury fashion house Prada SpA has announced that CEO Gianfranco D'Attis will leave the company at the end of June. According to a company statement shared with Reuters, the decision was made by mutual agreement. In the interim, Prada Group CEO Andrea Guerra will assume the role of acting CEO until a permanent replacement is named. The news was initially reported by WWD, a well-known fashion industry publication. D'Attis' departure marks a significant leadership change for the Milan-based brand, which has been expanding its global footprint and reinforcing its presence in key markets such as the U.S. and Asia. Prada did not disclose further details about the reasons behind the transition. The change in leadership comes at a time when European luxury fashion labels are facing challenges tied to shifting global demand and evolving trade dynamics. Earlier this year, discussions around potential tariffs on EU goods, including fashion, intensified following comments from U.S. political figures. D'Attis, who had been with Prada since 2023, oversaw several initiatives tied to retail innovation and international growth. His exit adds to the list of recent executive shakeups within the high-end fashion industry. Prada (1913.F) closed trading slightly higher on Friday, but markets may react to the news in the coming week.
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PSX posts fourth weekly decline
Shares of 366 companies were traded. At the end of the day, 182 stocks closed higher. PHOTO: AFP/FILE Listen to article Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) extended its bearish run in the outgoing week, which was the fourth consecutive weekly decline, as escalating geopolitical tensions following Israeli airstrikes on Iran, surging global commodity prices and weak regional markets dented investor sentiment. The benchmark KSE-100 index lost 2,120 points, or 1.74% week-on-week (WoW), to close at 120,023, slipping below key technical levels after touching the intra-week low of 119,770. Average daily trading volumes contracted 9.4% to 822 million shares, reflecting cautious participation amid macroeconomic uncertainty and rising oil prices, which hit a five-month high at $77 per barrel. On a day-on-day basis, the PSX on Monday remained range bound and registered thin gains of 82 points as investors treaded cautiously ahead of monetary policy announcement later in the day, where the central bank left policy rate unchanged at 11%. Despite the conflict between Israel and Iran, the benchmark KSE-100 index recorded a slight rise of 0.07% and settled at 122,225. On Tuesday, the market witnessed a volatile trading session, mirroring global market trends amid escalation in geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The index swung between a high of 666 points and low of 409 points, before closing down by 254 points. On Wednesday, the bourse dived over 1,500 points as it came under pressure in the wake of heightened Israel-Iran conflict and unease over Pakistan's weak economic indicators. The KSE-100 recorded a sharp drop of 1,505 points at 120,466. The PSX extended the downward trend on Thursday and ended lower by 463 points to settle at 120,003, following a volatile session as early gains, driven by policy optimism, were wiped out by selling pressure amid Middle East tensions. The market ended the week by closing flat on Friday as investors remained cautious amid uncertainty about the Israel-Iran conflict. Although the index touched the intra-day high of 120,829, it closed with a slight rise of 21 points. In its report, AKD wrote that the market maintained a bearish momentum during the week as geopolitical concerns continued to weigh on investor confidence. The benchmark KSE-100 index closed the week at 120,023, down 2,120 points, or 1.74% WoW. The week began with the monetary policy committee maintaining the status quo on Monday, aligning with market expectations. Several macroeconomic indicators were released during the week, including a current account deficit of $103 million for May 2025 and net foreign direct investment of $194 million for the month. Additionally, the State Bank's auctions saw a reduction in Pakistan Investment Bonds' (PIBs) cut-off yields in contrast to an increase in T-bills' yields. Furthermore, the State Bank-held forex reserves rose $46 million, ending the week at $11.7 billion as of June 6. In the currency market, the Pakistani rupee depreciated 0.26% WoW against the greenback, closing at 283.7/$. Syed Danyal Hussain of JS Global noted that following the spike in commodity prices and a decline in Asian markets due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the KSE-100 index dropped 3.5% (4,330 points) from its recent high seen last week. On a WoW basis, the index was down 1.7%, with average volumes falling 9.4% to 822 million shares. Brent oil prices continued to climb up to $77 per barrel, hitting a five-month high, on supply-side fears. Accordingly, the SBP opted to maintain policy rate at 11% in its monetary policy meeting held earlier in the week, he said. Moreover, the current account recorded a deficit of $103 million, however, the 11MFY25 figure remained comfortable with a surplus of $1.8 billion. Notably, exports fell 19% YoY while imports were up 9% YoY in May 2025. The analyst pointed out that Pakistan secured a syndicated loan of $1 billion from a foreign commercial bank and arrangements were also underway to secure a refinancing of $1.3 billion from Chinese banks by the end of June 30. In other news, the government raised Rs557 billion in the PIB auction against the target of Rs300 billion, with yields falling 29 to 64 basis points. Lastly, he added, June 19 was the final date for the submission of Expressions of Interest for PIA's acquisition, where five bids were received by the Privatisation Commission.
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
EU seeks 'digital sovereignty'
The State Bank is working on a project to prevent digital frauds through deploying artificial intelligence. photo: file Listen to article At a market stall in Berlin run by charity Topio, volunteers help people who want to purge their phones of the influence of US tech firms. Since Donald Trump's inauguration, the queue for their services has grown. Interest in European-based digital services has jumped in recent months, data from digital market intelligence company Similarweb shows. More people are looking for e-mail, messaging and even search providers outside the United States. The first months of Trump's second presidency have shaken some Europeans' confidence in their long-time ally, after he signalled his country would step back from its role in Europe's security and then launched a trade war. "It's about the concentration of power in US firms," said Topio's founder Michael Wirths, as his colleague installed on a customer's phone a version of the Android operating system without hooks into the Google ecosystem.
