Only once in a generation comes a sale like this. Twenty-five years after the most famous product from the venerable House of Hermes was last sold, the original model of its Birkin bag is back on the auction block.
A quiet buzz has taken hold of the Sotheby's Paris offices this week as the auction house unveiled a rare cultural artefact: the first Hermes Birkin bag, designed in 1984 for the late actress and singer Jane Birkin. The worn black leather bag, used daily by Birkin for nearly a decade, is on public display before going under the hammer on July 10.
You mean Birkin, like the bag?
Jane Birkin
Outside the stately auction house on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, a stone's throw from the Champs-Elysees, signs mark the entrance to the free public exhibition running until July 9. Inside, beneath museum-like lighting, the bag sits encased in glass, visibly bearing the marks of its everyday use, including remnants of campaign group stickers affixed by Birkin.
This shows how much Birkin loved her bag, said Aurelie Vassy, head of handbag and fashion sales for Europe at Sotheby's. "It's a legend, it's an icon," Ms Vassy told The National on a tour of the display. "It's the origin of the most famous bag in the world."
Sotheby's had originally planned to sell the bag online but decided on a live auction after an unexpected surge in interest, it said. Previous sales indicate that bidding could reach into six figures, driven not only by its provenance but also its bespoke features, some of which have never been offered commercially.
No other bag
Unlike standard Birkins, this original model is a hybrid in size, with added depth. A shoulder strap, absent from future designs, hangs on its sides, and the initials "J.B." are stamped on the front. "There is no other bag like this," Ms Vassy said. "We suppose Hermes created this model to respond to Jane Birkin's needs." Her bag is derived from Hermes's first product, the Haut a Courroies, designed to transport horse riders' helmets.
The story of the Birkin bag's birth is fashion lore. On an Air France flight from Paris to London in 1984, Birkin's belongings spilt from her Hermes handbag, prompting a complaint to her seatmate.
To her surprise, her neighbour answered: "I am Hermes." He was Hermes director Jean-Louis Dumas and together they designed her ideal bag, which in later interviews she said she drew on the plane's "vomit bag". The Birkin bag was born.
Hermes has since cultivated the bag's mythology through scarcity and craftsmanship. Each bag is handmade in France but production numbers are kept secret. It is impossible to walk into a shop to buy a Birkin bag – it is up to Hermes to decide if they will sell you one.
Frustrated fashionistas in the US even sued Hermes in a class-action suit in California last year after they were refused access to the bags. Meanwhile, celebrities from Khloe Kardashian to Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham have touted their Birkin bags.
Rarity and desire
It has become by far the most coveted bag globally, Ms Vassy said. "It's about rarity and desire – principles that Hermes manages extremely well," she told The National. "Year after year, unique pieces are crafted, with crocodile colours, for example, that are never made again. It's about trying to hold on to time as it slips through your fingers ... the symbolic value of Hermes keeps growing."
Prices can reach into the tens of thousands, and the resale market has turned Birkins into investment opportunities. "The strength of the second-hand market is that it allows you to buy a bag when you want," Ms Vassy said. A 2016 study by Baghunter found that Birkin bags offered a higher value on investment than gold and the S&P 500, a stock market index. In 2022, Sotheby's sold a diamond-encrusted Himalaya Birkin for more than $450,000.
Jane Birkin's personal Birkin is more modest in appearance. Yet its cultural cachet is unmatched. Its sale represents not only a fashion milestone, but a piece of history. That's also the reason why Sotheby's organised a physical sale, according to Ms Vassy, "to allow the bag to enter history a little more".
Birkin, like the bag?
Comparisons have been drawn with another pop culture relic: the original "black sheep sweater" worn by Lady Diana at a 1983 polo match. "It's an equivalent fashion item that is both one-of-a-kind and also belonged to a famous personality," Ms Vassy said. The sweater, viewed as a symbol of Lady Diana's sense of humour and rebellious spirit, fetched $1.14 million at a 2023 auction, soaring past its estimate of $50,000 to $80,000. It recently gained renewed fame through its appearance in the popular Netflix series The Crown.
Jane Birkin herself joked that the bag had become more famous than her. In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Birkin, who died aged 76 in 2023, recalled being asked during a trip to the US: "You mean Birkin, like the bag?" She laughed and added: "I thought, oh gosh, on my obituary, it'll say: like the bag."
The last time her original Birkin bag changed hands was at an auction in 2000. At the time, it was valued at 5,000 French francs – less than $900. The sale price was never disclosed. For next week's auction, Sotheby's has not published an official reserve. The current owner, Paris-based handbag collector and dealer Catherine Benier, stands to make a substantial return. Speaking to The New York Times, she called the bag "the most beautiful, coveted piece in the history of fashion".
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Dubai World Cup nominations
UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer
USA: Seeking The Soul/Dallas Stewart, Imperial Hunt/Luis Carvajal Jr, Audible/Todd Pletcher, Roy H/Peter Miller, Yoshida/William Mott, Promises Fulfilled/Dale Romans, Gunnevera/Antonio Sano, XY Jet/Jorge Navarro, Pavel/Doug O’Neill, Switzerland/Steve Asmussen.
Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPyppl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEstablished%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAntti%20Arponen%20and%20Phil%20Reynolds%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20financial%20services%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2418.5%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20150%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20series%20A%2C%20closed%20in%202021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20venture%20capital%20companies%2C%20international%20funds%2C%20family%20offices%2C%20high-net-worth%20individuals%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
HEY%20MERCEDES%2C%20WHAT%20CAN%20YOU%20DO%20FOR%20ME%3F
%3Cp%3EMercedes-Benz's%20MBUX%20digital%20voice%20assistant%2C%20Hey%20Mercedes%2C%20allows%20users%20to%20set%20up%20commands%20for%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Navigation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Calls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20In-car%20climate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Ambient%20lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Media%20controls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Driver%20assistance%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20General%20inquiries%20such%20as%20motor%20data%2C%20fuel%20consumption%20and%20next%20service%20schedule%2C%20and%20even%20funny%20questions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThere's%20also%20a%20hidden%20feature%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20pressing%20and%20holding%20the%20voice%20command%20button%20on%20the%20steering%20wheel%20activates%20the%20voice%20assistant%20on%20a%20connected%20smartphone%20%E2%80%93%20Siri%20on%20Apple's%20iOS%20or%20Google%20Assistant%20on%20Android%20%E2%80%93%20enabling%20a%20user%20to%20command%20the%20car%20even%20without%20Apple%20CarPlay%20or%20Android%20Auto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sour%20Grapes
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Read more about the coronavirus
