@sothebys #JaneBirkin’s original #Hermès Birkin bag created a sensation at #SothebysParis today, as it sold for €8.6 million ($10.1 million). After weeks of anticipation and a global tour, the bidding opened at €1 million ($1.7 million). With that single bid, the world record for a handbag — set in 2021 by the Hermès White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28 at $513,040 — was instantly eclipsed. Watch the #biddingwar unfold with bids coming in over the phones, online, and in the room. In the end, the #handbag that changed #fashion history was met with applause as it sold to private collector from Japan. #handbags #handbagtiktok #fashiontiktok #fashionweek #couture #Hermes #hermesbirkin #birkin #birkinbag ♬ original sound - Sotheby’s

Before you read, press play on “Je t’aime… moi non plus.”

Let its breathy tension and organ chords guide you through time — into the worn leather of Jane Birkin’s iconic Hermès bag, where every scuff holds poetry and every sticker speaks of activism: Médecins du Monde, UNICEF, and quiet revolutions lived daily.

This is not just a song; it is Serge Gainsbourg’s whispered rebellion, Birkin’s sigh of sincerity, and the soundtrack to a relic that lived love, art, and compassion in the most tangible form.

🎶 👜🪙🕊️🩺🧿🗝️🏺📿💎📻 🔊 Je Taime - Moi Non Plus | Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin

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On Thursday, July 10, 2025, fashion history was made in Paris as Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag sold for a jaw-dropping $10.1 million at Sotheby’s.

The iconic black leather prototype, scuffed and stickered from years of daily use, became the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction. The winning bid came from a private Japanese collector after a fierce 10-minute battle among nine bidders.

✈️ From Sick Bag Sketch to Global Icon

The story of the Birkin began in 1984 aboard an Air France flight. Jane Birkin, frustrated with the lack of spacious handbags, sketched her dream design on an airplane vomit bag for Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas. A year later, the first Birkin was born—practical, elegant, and stamped with Birkin’s initials. It featured a non-removable shoulder strap, smaller studs, and even a dangling nail clipper, reflecting her everyday needs.

🎨 A Bag That Lived a Life

@thehosta 🎥 Listen in as Jane Birkin fondly recalls the moment that inspired the Birkin bag — now an icon of style. Her original prototype Birkin just sold at Sotheby’s in Paris for a record €7 million, with fees taking it to €8.58 million (approx. $10 million). 👜✨ A true legend in fashion history — crafted on a plane, sketched on an airsickness bag, and now valued as the most expensive handbag ever auctioned. #Birkin #JaneBirkin #Sothebys #FashionHistory #IconicStyle ♬ original sound - THE HOSTA STORE

Unlike pristine collector pieces, Birkin’s original bag was worn with love. It bore stickers from Médecins du Monde and UNICEF, and was used daily from 1985 to 1994. She later auctioned it for AIDS research, and it changed hands again in 2000 before returning to the spotlight this year.

👑 Legacy of a Muse

Jane Birkin, who passed away in 2023 at age 76, once joked that she’d be remembered “like the bag.” And she was right. The Birkin bag, now a symbol of luxury and timeless style, owes its soul to her authenticity and charm. This sale isn’t just about fashion—it’s about honoring a woman who turned practicality into poetry.

💼 A New Chapter for a Cultural Artifact

As the gavel fell, the Birkin bag joined the ranks of legendary fashion items, second only to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. It’s not just a handbag—it’s a piece of history, a testament to creativity, and a reminder that true style is lived in, not locked away.

#BirkinLegacy 👜 #JaneBirkinForever 🎶 #FashionHistoryMade 💎 #HermèsIcon 🇫🇷 #StyleWithSoul ✨