If you thought the Himalaya was the rarest Birkin, think again.
The original Birkin bag—the prototype made specifically for Jane Birkin herself—is officially up for auction for the first time in 25 years. Sotheby’s will open bidding on July 10, giving collectors and fashion obsessives a once-in-a-lifetime shot at owning what is, without exaggeration, fashion history.
From Sick Bags to Icon Status
Back in 1984, Hermès chief Jean-Louis Dumas offered to design a custom bag for Birkin after a chance conversation on a flight. She had complained she couldn’t find a chic yet functional carryall, and sketched her dream bag on an airplane sickness bag (yes, really). That sketch turned into one of the most recognizable handbags on the planet.
Where It’s Been
Birkin eventually donated the original bag in 1994 to raise money for French AIDS charity Association Solidarité Sida. A few years later, it was purchased by vintage dealer and collector Catherine Benier, who has kept it ever since. Over the years, the bag has been featured in exhibitions at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and toured the world thanks to Sotheby’s, with recent stops in Paris and Hong Kong.
What Makes This Birkin Different
Unlike any other, this black leather Birkin is a mashup of sizes—it’s as tall as a Birkin 40, but the depth and width of a 35. It also features a crossbody strap (rare), and most uniquely, the flap is stamped with Jane Birkin’s initials: J.B.
It’s also visibly worn and sticker-adorned, just the way Birkin liked it. She was known for personalizing her bags, never treating them as precious, and always using them for actual life. This one’s no exception.
The bag is on view at Sotheby’s New York gallery from now until June 12. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a piece of fashion lore, this is as real—and rare—as it gets.
