Jane Birkin’s Original Birkin Bags
Discover the story of Jane Birkin’s two most iconic Hermès bags—The Original Birkin and Le Birkin Voyageur—presented by Sotheby’s in 2025.
The Two Handbags That Define a Legend
Few objects in fashion history are as instantly recognizable, or as deeply personal, as Jane Birkin’s Hermès Birkin bags. In 2025, Sotheby’s had the honor of presenting two of Jane Birkin’s personal Hermès Birkins, each representing a distinct moment in her life and in the evolution of the world’s most famous handbag.
In July, the Original Birkin bag prototype, crafted for Jane by Hermès in 1985, sold for a record €8.6 million / $10.1 million at Sotheby’s Paris, becoming the most expensive handbag ever sold. Then, in December, her Le Birkin Voyageur (“The Traveler”)—the bag she carried daily between 2003 and 2007—sold in Abu Dhabi for $2.9 million, further demonstrating the extraordinary cultural resonance and market demand surrounding Jane Birkin’s personal handbags.
One marks the birth of a cultural icon, while the other represents the heart of its muse—together offering collectors an unprecedented glimpse into the life, creativity, and enduring legacy of Jane Birkin.
Key Takeaways: Jane Birkin's Original Birkin Bags Compared
| The Original Birkin (1985) | Le Birkin Voyageur (2003) | |
|---|---|---|
| Auction | Sold at Sotheby’s Paris in July 2025 for $10.1M | Sold at Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi in December 2025 for $2.9M |
| Material & Hardware | Black Box leather, gilded brass hardware | Black Box leather, palladium hardware |
| Dimensions | 36 × 27 × 21 cm (hybrid of Birkin 35 width/height and Birkin 40 depth) | 40 x 30 x 21 cm (Birkin 40 size) |
| Unique Design Details | Non-removable shoulder strap; closed pontets; smaller feet; “Éclair” zip; initials “J.B.” | Closed bridges (unique to Jane); handwritten silver-ink dedications and drawings on interior pockets |
| Personal Touches | Stickers supporting Médecins du Monde and UNICEF; nail clipper on strap | Silver ink notes including “Mon Birkin bag qui m’a accompagné dans le monde entier”; drawings of cherubs and Venus |
| Philanthropic Legacy | Donated by Jane in 1994 for AIDS charity, later sold again in 2000 | First sold in 2007 to benefit the International Federation for Human Rights |
| Symbolism | The birth of the Birkin and the prototype that inspired a global phenomenon | The soul of the Birkin, reflecting Jane’s artistry, activism, and affection |
The Original Birkin: The Bag That Started It All
The story of the Birkin begins in 1981 on an Air France flight, where Jane Birkin—traveling with her young daughter Charlotte—met Hermès’ artistic director Jean-Louis Dumas. Complaining that she could never find a handbag large enough for daily life, she unknowingly inspired a revolution in fashion design.
In 1985, Hermès presented her with a one-of-a-kind prototype that would become the foundation for one of the most coveted designs in history. Crafted in Black Box leather with gilded brass hardware, it bore several experimental details later refined or removed from production models: a non-removable shoulder strap, closed pontets, smaller studs, and an Éclair zipper.
The bag’s proportions—combining the Birkin 35’s height and width with the Birkin 40’s depth—gave it a singular silhouette, unlike any other Birkin ever made. Inside, Jane personalized it with stickers supporting her humanitarian causes, and she famously kept her nail clipper attached to its strap.
Stamped with her initials “J.B.” and showing the signs of years of devoted use, the bag became an extension of Jane herself—a lived-in, meaningful artifact of her life and activism.
When Jane sold the bag in 1994 to benefit Association Solidarité Sida, it marked the beginning of her tradition of transforming symbols of luxury into vehicles for generosity.
Le Birkin Voyageur: The Bag That Traveled the World
One of four Birkin bags Hermès gifted to Jane Birkin after she sold her Original Birkin in 1994, this Black Box Birkin 40 with palladium hardware, crafted in 2003, became her constant companion for four years. By then, Jane had long made each of her Hermès bags her own, carrying them with a casual elegance that defined her style. She affectionately called this one Le Birkin Voyageur (“The Traveler")—a fitting name for the handbag that accompanied her through life, work, and travel around the world.
As with all her Birkins, Jane made it her own. She adorned its interior pockets with handwritten dedications and poetic sketches in silver ink, including the phrase: “Mon Birkin bag qui m’a accompagné dans le monde entier” (“My Birkin bag, my globetrotting companion”).
Other illustrations depict cherubs, angels, and a winged Venus, blending humor, intimacy, and artistry. The bag also features closed bridges, a rare design element unseen in Hermès’ commercial production—again recalling the prototype’s unique craftsmanship.
After years of use, Jane donated Le Birkin Voyageur to a 2007 charity auction supporting the International Federation for Human Rights. It has remained in a private collection ever since—until now. In December 2025, the bag sold in Abu Dhabi for $2.9 million, officially making it the second most expensive Birkin ever sold, a landmark result that underscores the cultural significance, rarity, and enduring allure of Jane Birkin’s personal collection.
A Tale of Two Icons: Comparing the Original and the Traveler
While separated by nearly twenty years, The Original Birkin and Le Birkin Voyageur share a deep creative and emotional lineage.
The 1985 prototype represents the birth of an icon—a design born from functionality and transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Its experimental details, from brass hardware to non-removable straps, mark it as a true working prototype, a blueprint for the thousands of Birkins that would follow.
By contrast, Le Birkin Voyageur represents the evolution of that legend through Jane’s own life. If the prototype was the beginning of the story, the Voyageur is its final chapter—a reflection of how Jane redefined luxury not through perfection, but through personal connection, use, and meaning.
Both bags stand as artifacts of authenticity: one the design that changed fashion forever, the other a tangible reminder of the woman who carried it. Together, they illuminate the full arc of Jane Birkin’s creative influence—from muse to maker, from icon to inspiration.
A Legacy of Style and Spirit
Jane Birkin’s relationship with her namesake bag transcended fashion. Each Birkin bag she owned became a vessel for self-expression, generosity, and the art of living without pretense.
From the prototype that birthed the Birkin phenomenon to the Traveler that captured her poetic soul, Sotheby’s 2025 auctions tell a story not only of design, but of legacy, creativity, and compassion—a rare opportunity to witness how one woman’s authenticity continues to shape the world’s most recognizable handbag.
FAQs About Jane Birkin’s Birkins
How many Birkin bags did Jane Birkin own?
Jane Birkin owned five Hermès Birkin bags in total—the original prototype and four additional Birkins gifted to her by Hermès over the years.
What makes the Original Birkin unique?
It is the first Birkin ever made, personally crafted for Jane in 1985, featuring experimental details not seen on later models, including a shoulder strap and closed pontets.
Why is Le Birkin Voyageur called “The Traveler”?
Inside the bag, Jane inscribed in silver ink, “Mon Birkin bag qui m’a accompagné dans le monde entier” (“My Birkin bag, my globetrotting companion”), inspiring the name Le Birkin Voyageur.
What connects the two bags?
Both reflect Jane’s influence and generosity: the 1985 prototype birthed an icon, while the 2003 Voyageur expresses her artistry and compassion, each sold to benefit charity.
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