S tep into fashion history with the legendary original Birkin bag, now available at auction. This is the very model born from a chance encounter between Jane Birkin and Hermès artistic director Jean-Louis Dumas on an Air France flight in the early 1980s. Birkin, traveling with her daughter, expressed a need for a stylish yet functional bag — and Dumas delivered. In 1985, Hermès offered her a bespoke handbag that would go on to become one of the most iconic and sought-after fashion pieces in the world: the Birkin.
Now, decades later, this unique piece — the genesis of a global cultural phenomenon — is offered to collectors and connoisseurs. More than a fashion item, it is a symbol of elegance, artistry, and legacy.
This legendary cultural icon is the highlight of the Fashion Icons including The Original Birkin auction taking place at Sotheby's Paris on 10 July.
