The First-Ever Birkin Bag Is Finally Up for Grabs

What’s harder to get than the ultimate Hermès holy grail Himalaya Birkin? The one and only original Birkin — the very bag that started the entire Birkin empire.

Image courtesy: @hypebeast

Before it became a global symbol of luxury, the Birkin began as a sketch on the back of an air sickness bag. Now the very first Birkin ever made, custom-designed in 1984 for actress and style icon Jane Birkin, is heading to auction at Sotheby’s on July 10 in Paris.

The all-black leather prototype was created in close collaboration with Jane Birkin. It includes a shoulder strap, gilded brass hardware, and the initials “J.B.” embossed on the front flap. These unique features never appeared on subsequent Birkins, making this bag a genuine one-of-a-kind piece.

Image courtesy: @hypebeast

Image courtesy: @hypebeast

The bag measures as tall as a Birkin 40 and as deep and wide as a Birkin 35, combining elements of different sizes into one unique design. Jane Birkin wasn’t one to treat her bag like a museum piece—she decked it out with all sorts of everyday essentials, including a trusty nail clipper she hung right on the outside (which will come along with the OG Birkin).

Jane Birkin donated the bag in 1994 to support the French AIDS charity Association Solidarité Sida. In 2000, it was acquired by Catherine Benier, a Paris-based collector and vintage boutique owner. Since then, the bag has been exhibited around the world, including at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and Hermès Maisons in Paris and Hong Kong. Now it returns to Paris, this time for auction.

Image courtesy: Vogue

While the starting price for the lot has not yet been announced, given the bag’s incredible provenance, unique design, and cultural significance, it is expected to attract record-breaking bids.

We’ll be eagerly watching as the bidding unfolds on this legendary piece of fashion history—the very Birkin that started it all.