Jane Birkin’s Original Hermes Sells For ₹85 Crore At Auction. It Has A Vomit Bag Backstory

Last Updated:July 10, 2025, 22:12 IST

The original Hermes Birkin bag, made for Jane Birkin, sold for €8.58 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris.

The final price of the bag- which includes commission and fees- shot far past initial estimates.

The original Hermes Birkin bag, handcrafted for the late British-French icon Jane Birkin, was sold for a record-breaking €8.58 million (approx. $10 million or ₹85.7 crore) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris, smashing previous records for a handbag.

The bidding war for the iconic all-black leather prototype, which was once sketched on an airplane vomit bag, captivated collectors and fashion insiders alike. The final price- which includes commission and fees- shot far past initial estimates, with the phone-in auction reportedly hitting €7 million before spiraling to its final sum. The identity of the highest bidder has not been disclosed.

When Was The Hermes Birkin Bag Created?

Created in 1984 following a chance encounter on a London-bound flight between Birkin and then-Hermès chief Jean-Louis Dumas, the bag was born from a real-life fashion emergency. Jane Birkin, who had spilled her belongings mid-flight, lamented the lack of practical, stylish bags for women- prompting Dumas to grab the nearest paper sick bag and sketch a design as she described her ideal carry-all.

The result was a timeless icon that has become the most coveted and expensive handbag in the world. Known for its exquisite craftsmanship, exclusivity and long waitlists, the Birkin bag has transcended fashion to become a cultural symbol seen everywhere from red carpets to rap lyrics.

‘Most Iconic Fashion Items Ever Created’

According to Sotheby’s, the original prototype is distinguished by seven unique design elements never replicated in later versions. It described the piece as not just a handbag but “a legendary object… one of the most iconic fashion items ever created."

In interviews before her passing in 2023, Jane Birkin often joked about the bag’s legacy saying, “They’ll probably say ‘like the bag’ in my obituaries. Well, it could be worse."

Paris, France

News world Jane Birkin’s Original Hermes Sells For ₹85 Crore At Auction. It Has A Vomit Bag Backstory