The world’s first Birkin sold for about US $10 million.”
The First Hermès Birkin Sets a Historic Record, Sold for Approximately €8.6 Million
The very first Hermès Birkin handbag has just sold at Sotheby’s for approximately €8.6 million (around HK$69.4 million), setting the highest auction price ever recorded for a handbag and sending shockwaves through the fashion world.
The bidding started at €1 million, and within just ten minutes, offers surged rapidly until a Japanese buyer claimed the piece with a record-breaking bid.
Many initially assumed the buyer must be a mysterious billionaire. But it was later confirmed that the winning bidder is Shinsuke Sakimoto — founder of the luxury resale platform Valuence Holdings, former professional football player for FC Tokyo, and the younger brother of Sakimoto Bakery founder Katsuhiro Sakimoto.
What Makes the Original Birkin So Special?
- Contains Jane Birkin’s nail clipper still attached inside
- Size sits between a Birkin 35 and Birkin 40
- Features a fixed shoulder strap
- Interior flap is engraved with “J.B.”
- Hardware made from a rare nickel-copper alloy
- Zipper produced by the historic Éclair company
- Exterior covered with charity stickers, scuffs, and scratches that reflect Jane’s personal use and history
Was the Original Birkin Born on an Airplane?
In 1984, Jane Birkin famously complained to the CEO of Hermès while on a flight:
“My wicker basket never fits enough and always tips over — it’s so frustrating!”After hearing her frustration, the CEO immediately sketched a design on an airplane sick bag.
That quick sketch became the blueprint for the Birkin Bag, a creation that went on to change fashion history forever.
So Who Is the Mysterious Japanese Buyer?
Many people assumed the person who purchased the world’s very first Birkin would be a Middle Eastern prince or a mysterious billionaire heiress. Yet the truth turned out to be far more unexpected — the buyer is Shinsuke Sakimoto from Japan.
Not only is he a former FC Tokyo football player, but he is also the founder of Valuence Holdings, one of Japan’s leading luxury resale platforms. And his older brother? None other than Katsuhiro Sakimoto, the founder of the famous Sakimoto Bakery, known across Asia for its premium shokupan.
Within the industry, Shinsuke is far from an unfamiliar name. He has spent many years building his expertise in the pre-owned luxury market. This time, he made headlines by spending nearly US $10 million to acquire the Original Birkin. He has stated that he intends to put the bag on public display in the future, though the exact location remains undisclosed.
No wonder everyone is asking:
Will we ever get the chance to see this record-breaking Birkin — the same one Jane Birkin once used to carry diapers — in person?
