Battered Birkin Bag Becomes World's Most Expensive Handbag at $10 Million

A battered black leather Birkin bag has become the world’s most expensive handbag ever sold, fetching a staggering €8.6 million (₹86.19 crore) at a Sotheby’s auction. The auction saw an intense ten-minute bidding war among nine collectors, ultimately won by a private buyer from Japan, according to Sotheby’s. The bag’s final bid stood at €7 million, with fees pushing the total to the record-breaking amount.

This was no ordinary Birkin bag. It was the original — the very first handbag designed by French luxury brand Hermès for British actress and singer Jane Birkin in 1984. Birkin used this bag nearly every day between 1985 and 1994, and it played a pivotal role in establishing the Birkin line as one of the most iconic and sought-after items in the fashion world.

Though Sotheby’s did not reveal any estimate prior to the auction, early bids quickly surpassed the €1 million mark. Viewers watching the auction livestream were stunned as the price continued to climb, eventually culminating in the historic sale. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and accessories, called it “an important milestone in the history of fashion and luxury,” noting that the auction reflected “the power of a legend” and how it can spark deep passion and desire among collectors.

Despite the bag’s visibly worn condition — scratched, stained, and scuffed — these imperfections were seen as valuable, adding authenticity and historic significance. Notably, the bag still bore Jane Birkin’s personal touches: a pair of silver nail clippers still hung from its strap, used by Birkin to keep her nails trimmed; the leather showed faded sticker outlines from Médecins du Monde and UNICEF; and her initials, “J.B.”, were stamped on the front flap. These features made the bag an irreplaceable one-of-a-kind artifact.

This isn’t the first time the bag changed hands. Jane Birkin originally auctioned it in 1994 to raise money for AIDS research. Since then, it has appeared in major public exhibitions, including at New York’s Museum of Modern Art and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The most recent seller, identified only as Catherine B., had purchased the bag at an auction 25 years ago. Recalling her own auction experience, she said in a Sotheby’s statement that it was an unforgettable and emotional moment.

The sale shattered all previous records for luxury handbags. In 2022, Sotheby’s had sold a white-diamond-studded “Diamond Himalaya Birkin” for over $450,000, while Christie’s earlier sold a crocodile-skin Birkin for nearly $390,000. The previous world record was held by a diamond-embellished crocodile Kelly bag, which sold for $513,040.

What truly made this particular bag priceless, however, was its origin story. In 1984, Jane Birkin was on a flight from Paris to London when her belongings spilled out of her large wicker basket, which she used as a handbag. Her seatmate, who turned out to be Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas, suggested she draw the ideal handbag. Birkin sketched her idea on an airplane sickness bag, leading to the creation of the iconic Birkin bag. Hermès gifted her the finished product the following year and gave her four more throughout her life. Though she earned royalties from the Birkin name, Birkin donated them all to charity annually.