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Jane Birkin's original Hermès bag fetches R179m

Cape Times

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July 15, 2025

IN A BREATHTAKING display of luxury and exclusivity, the original Birkin bag has set a new benchmark in the world of high fashion.

- ALYSSIA BIRJALAL

Sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris last week for a staggering €8.58 million (R179.8 million), the iconic black leather handbag once owned by late singer and actress Jane Birkin underlines the insatiable demand for unique luxury collectables.

The bidding war, which lasted for just over 10 electrifying minutes, unfolded 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 was sold to a private collector from Japan.

The original Birkin bag, commissioned in 1984 for Jane Birkin by Hermes International SCA’s then-CEO Jean-Louis Dumas, is now widely regarded as one of the most sought-after handbags in the world.

MEER VERHALEN VAN Cape Times

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