The design of the iconic Bikini bag model from the brand Hermès is quite fascinating. Everything took place on a 1984 flight to London, during which actress, singer, and model Jane Birkin was flying alongside Hermès president, Jean-Louis Dumas. Once she put the bag in the overhead bin, all her items spilled out, leading Birkin to propose to Dumas the creation of a bigger Kelly bag. Birkin shared her story during a 2020 interview with Vogue. The demand was so high that Dumas requested the bag to be created, and the first one was designated for Birkin.
It turned into a truly iconic bag that stayed with the actress her entire life until she sold it in 1994 to support AIDS research. The bag has recently been auctioned at the renowned Sotheby’s auction house located in Paris. The starting offer was $1.1 million, and it ultimately sold for $10.1 million! The individual behind this massive sum of money was the Japanese entrepreneur Shinsuke Sakimoto, the CEO of Valuence Holdings, a firm focused on buying and selling luxury goods. The firm strongly believes that the acquisition, although the priciest they have ever conducted, will eventually justify its cost.
Just with the worldwide publicity that the auction has generated, they believe it has been worth it. Valuence does not intend to resell the precious bag; instead, they plan to exhibit it in museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York or the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where it has already been previously, attracting thousands of visitors. The philosophy behind the company aims for this valuable object not to belong to a single person, but for both the company and admirers to enjoy it, making it a shared asset.
Hermès Birkin bag
Enthusiasts of handbags and luxury items are well aware of what the Birkin style from the Hèrmes brand represents. What they may not be aware of is the origin of the idea behind its creation. Everything took place in 1984, during a journey to London when actress, singer, and model Jane Birkin crossed paths with Hèrmes president Jean-Louis Dumas, as the actress accidentally spilled all her items from the Kelly handbag she possessed. It was at that moment when, as the actress told Vogue magazine in 2020, she remarked, “Why don’t you make a bag that is four times bigger than Kelly, that you can leave open?”, and even sketched the design for him. Happy with the idea, Dumas created the model and presented the initial sample to Birkin. A basic black leather purse, featuring the initials J.B. embossed.
How much does it cost?
Currently, a Birkin model can be obtained in a wide range of colors and fabrics, but the prices are anything but affordable. The brand Hèrmes is known for restricting its sales to specific clients, so if you are one of them, prices range from $10,000 to $500,000.
What occurred with Jane Birkin’s handbag?
In 1994, the actress sold the purse to
generate money for AIDS research. The handbag has
recently been
sold at an
incredible price at the Sotheby’s auction house in Paris. The
auction began at a
price of $1.1 million and ultimately concluded with a sale of $10.1 million.
Am I the only one who believes this is
insane? The
individual behind this
extravagant acquisition was the Japanese Shinsuke Sakimoto, the CEO of Valuence Holdings. This company
focuses on acquiring and reselling
high-end products, and as they told CNN, this has been their costliest acquisition. The
firm believes that the
acquisition will
yield benefits in
multiple ways and they feel completely at
ease.
Due to the exposure received following the auction, they think they have already recouped some of the investment, “It was certain that the winning bid would break the record, which meant it would be reported all over the world. Everyone agreed and understood that it was a good investment”. Moreover, the company plans not to resell it but rather to display it in museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York or the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where it has previously been showcased and where numerous visitors have had the opportunity to appreciate it. As stated by Valuence, the aim of obtaining this artwork is not to turn it into the private possession of the wealthy, but rather to establish a new ownership model – allowing both companies like ours and society to partake in it collectively. We aim to safeguard it for the future and distribute it to all
