Kathmandu. The best-known accessory in the fashion world was auctioned on July 10 for about 8.6 million euros (Rs 1.37 billion). With this, it became the most expensive handbag sold at auction.
This black leather bag was made for singer Jane Burkin in 1985. During the flight, Birkin was sitting next to the head of the Arms (a luxury fashion brand in France). During the journey, his belongings fell.
Birkin then asked the head of Arms why the company doesn’t make big bags. In this, the head of the armas prepared a new design on the same aircraft.
On July 10, a private collector from Japan bought a prototype bag made of the same design at an auction in Sotheby’s (auction house) Paris. The bag was auctioned at a much higher price than the previous record of 4.39 lakh euros.
According to the auction house, there was a fierce competition between the nine buyers for about 10 minutes during the auction. Morgan Halimi, global head of handbags and fashion at Sothebiz, said: “This price shows how powerful famous stories have and how it inspires collectors’ desire and passion to achieve such special things. ’
“The Burkin prototype is the beginning of the story, which gave us a modern icon like a Birkin Bag. It’s the world’s most favorite handbag. ’
The bag was sold for about 8.6 million euros at auction. Which included commissions and other charges. There was no estimate of its value before the auction.
History and characteristics of this bag
After making the bag for Anglo-French singer and actress Jane Burkin, Amres included it in commercial production. Since then, it has been counted as ‘status symbols’ in the fashion world.
Some birkin bags are worth millions of dollars and require a long waiting list to get them. International celebrities like Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez are among the buyers.
Birkin’s name was engraved on the front flap of the prototype bag sold at the auction. Jane Birkin died in 2023 at the age of 76. She kept the bag for a decade and donated it to an auction in 1994 to raise money for the AIDS charity.
That bag was later purchased by Catherine Benier, who runs a luxury boutique in Paris. She kept it for 25 years and now sells it at auction. -Translated from the BBC
