Original Birkin bag unveiled in Japan after record $10 million purchase

📷Shinsuke Sakimoto, CEO of Valuence Japan, poses for a photograph next to the Original Birkin, the original bag custom-made for late actress Jane Birkin, which the Japanese company purchased for a record 8.6 million euros ($10.04 million) at a Sotheby's auction in Paris earlier this year, during an unveiling event in Tokyo, Japan, November 12, 2025.

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — The original handbag custom-made for the late actress Jane Birkin, the design that later became the globally known Hermès Birkin, was unveiled to media in Tokyo on Wednesday by the Japanese company that purchased it for a record €8.6 million ($10 million) at Sotheby’s in Paris earlier this year.

According to fashion accounts, the first Birkin bag was conceived in 1984 when the Franco-British actress and singer sat next to Hermès executive Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight and told him she needed a stylish yet functional bag suitable for young mothers. Dumas sketched the rectangular design during the flight, including a compartment intended for baby bottles.

After Birkin received her custom-made bag, Hermès later produced smaller versions for the market, and the design quickly rose to global prominence, supporting the brand’s expansion.

Shinsuke Sakimoto, co-founder and CEO of Japan-based luxury reseller Valuence Japan, which acquired the original Birkin, said the origins of the bag reflect the company’s own philosophy.

“We believe that products should not be spoken about in terms of price, but rather through the stories that include the brand’s philosophy and values — in other words, their significance,” Sakimoto said.

He added that Valuence plans to display the bag in museums and similar public venues rather than resell it.

Jane Birkin auctioned the bag in 1994 to support Sidaction, a French charity dedicated to funding AIDS research and support programs.