Rare Hermès bag belonging to Jane Birkin fetches millions at auction.
The Telfar shopping bag, often referred to as the "Bushwick Birkin," is making waves in the fashion world, challenging the dominance of the Birkin bag as the current "must-have." However, the original Birkin bag, created by Hermès for Jane Birkin, holds a special place in history.
In 1984, the Birkin bag was born following a chance encounter on an Air France flight between actress Jane Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas, then CEO of Hermès. Birkin complained about the impracticality of handbags and the lack of a bag large enough to hold her daily essentials, especially for traveling with her young daughter. Inspired by this, Dumas sketched a roomy, supple bag with pockets, marrying function with elegance. Hermès produced the prototype and named it the Birkin bag in her honor.
The Birkin bag's design is minimalist yet luxurious, crafted from high-grade materials like calfskin, featuring an almost logo-less aesthetic, a padlock clasp, and interior pockets. It embodied discreet luxury and practicality, quickly becoming an icon of status and exclusivity. Hermès has protected the design legally and maintained a highly controlled distribution model, which has added to its mystique and desirability.
Over the decades, the Birkin evolved from Jane Birkin’s personal practical bag into a multi-billion-dollar luxury symbol, known for its craftsmanship, rarity, and association with celebrity culture. The original prototype itself reemerged recently at auction, selling for a record-breaking €8.6 million ($10.1 million) in 2025, confirming its status as not just a handbag but a cultural icon and valuable collector’s item.
The Birkin bag's high value and publicity have led it to become a piece of publicity for companies like Valuence, a Japanese fashion company, which announced that it had acquired the "Original Birkin" bag for €9 million in 2025. The original Birkin bag will be unveiled in Japan for media and related stakeholders.
Despite its high value, the Birkin bag is often debated about its intended purpose. Birkin's diary never mentions the creation myth of the Birkin bag, which might give a clue to her thoughts on the bag. The Birkin bag, as described, appears to have a worn and aged look with fraying handles, mottled leather, and stickers from charitable organizations, suggesting that it was truly a functional bag for Birkin.
The approximate cost of a Birkin bag is around £7,500, but today, it is not possible to simply walk into a Hermes shop and buy a Birkin bag; one must be invited. A whole industry of brands selling items linked to celebrities has arisen since the Birkin bag appeared over 40 years ago.
Jane Birkin, the creator of the Birkin bag, passed away two years ago, but her legacy lives on in the form of the most prized bag on the planet.
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The Birkin bag's renowned status in luxury fashion has galvanized companies like Valuence to invest significantly, as evidenced by their acquisition of the "Original Birkin" bag for €9 million in 2025. Moreover, the rise of the Telfar shopping bag, often called the "Bushwick Birkin," indicates a growing interest in alternative fashion statements, challenging the traditional dominance of esteemed brands like Hermès.
