Old ink, new tricks: Hong Kong reboots a classical medium
HONG KONG -- In this fast-paced international city, cosmopolitan urbanites might be expected to focus on the latest artists from London or New York, leaving classical paintings to gather dust.
The city is Asia's contemporary art hub, home to the regional headquarters of the international auction houses Sotheby's, Phillips and Christie's, the major contemporary art museum M+ and more than 60 commercial galleries. Asia's largest art fair, Art Basel Hong Kong, took place in March.
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Tokyo Weekender
3 days ago
- Tokyo Weekender
Japanese Company Buys Original Birkin Bag for ¥1.47 Billion
The original black leather Birkin bag, owned and loved by Hermès muse Jane Birkin, has sold for ¥1.47 billion (€8.58 million) to Valuence Japan, the company behind luxury buyer Allu. The historic acquisition took place at a Sotheby's Fashion Icons auction in Paris on July 10, setting a new world record for the most valuable handbag ever sold. Sotheby's opened bidding for the Birkin prototype at €1 million, and a fierce battle ensued between nine collectors. Valuence Japan participated via telephone through Maiko Ichikawa, Head of Sotheby's Japan, and won the item after the 10-minute bidding war. 'The spectacular sale of the Original Hermès Birkin today at Sotheby's Paris marks an important milestone in the history of fashion and the luxury industry more widely,' stated Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion. 'It is a startling demonstration of the power of a legend, and its capacity to ignite the passion and desire of collectors seeking exceptional items with unique provenance.' List of Contents: A Legendary Fashion Accessory Reemerges Who Bought the Original Birkin Bag? Related Posts A Legendary Fashion Accessory Reemerges The much-anticipated auction marks the original Birkin's first market appearance in 25 years. The handbag has been sold twice, initially in 1994 when Jane Birkin donated it to an auction benefiting the French AIDS charity Association Solidarité Sida, and again at auction at Poulain Le Fur in May 2000. Private collector Catherine B., who kept the Birkin for over two decades, told Sotheby's that the sale 'made me relive my own bidding battle … and how raw and indescribable the feeling of winning over this wonderful bag was.' The mystical Birkin had not been seen by the public until autumn of last year, when it was exhibited at Sotheby's Paris Galleries. A series of viewings this year at the Sotheby's Maison in Hong Kong, New York and Paris again attracted thousands of visitors, generating global interest for yesterday's auction. Jane Birkin with her stickered Hermès bag in London, 1996 | Image: Mike Daines/Shutterstock Originally designed by Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas after a chance encounter with British-French actress and singer Jane Birkin in 1981, the Birkin bag is one of the most famous accessories in fashion history. The story goes that Jane Birkin — who was sitting next to Dumas on a flight — spilled the contents of her wicker basket bag onto his lap, inspiring the then-artistic director to conceptualize a practical handbag large enough to hold her essentials. The Birkin, intended to fuse the bohemian-chic actress' effortless elegance with durability and functionality, has evolved into a highly-coveted status symbol around the world. Over the past decade, the handbag has also been at the center of much cultural discourse around overconsumption, wealth disparity and declining individuality, in ironic contrast to its original role as a canvas for Jane Birkin's self expression. Her well-worn purse was famously decorated with jewelry fragments, scarves and charms. The original Birkin still bears the traces of Jane Birkin's personalizations, including her initials 'J.B.' and her nail clipper, hanging from the bag's strap. The prototype is crafted in Hermès Black Box leather with gilded brass hardware, and features a unique construction, blending the Birkin 35's width and height with the Birkin 40's depth. It includes details not found on modern models like closed metal rings, an Eclair zipper, a non-removable strap and small bottom studs. So… Who Bought the Original Birkin Bag? The buyer who acquired the original Birkin is Tokyo-based company Valuence Japan, which operates several luxury fashion businesses, including big-name buyers Allu and Nanboya. Valuence Japan has emphasized that the acquisition is not for resale purposes. Instead, the company views it as a valuable addition to society — a piece of cultural heritage that will be made accessible to a broad audience. Shinsuke Sakimoto, CEO of Valuence Japan, shared his thoughts on the acquisition. 'Ms. Jane Birkin's embodiment of freedom and originality deeply resonates with our group's philosophy,' he told Fashionsnap. 'We hope the bag can be a symbol of empowerment, diversity and confidence.' Related Posts How a ¥15 Japanese Snack Became a ¥100,000 Art Sensation in Tokyo Where To Shop for Vintage Designer Bags in Tokyo That's Punk: Vivienne Westwood and Japan How Japanese Construction Uniforms Went High Fashion
3 days ago
Japan Firm Pays Record 1.5 B. Yen for Original Birkin Bag
News from Japan World Jul 11, 2025 15:28 (JST) Tokyo, July 11 (Jiji Press)--The prototype Hermes Birkin bag was sold for about 1.47 billion yen to a Japanese company at a recent auction. At Sotheby's in Paris on Thursday, Tokyo-based Valuence Japan Inc. beat eight rivals in some 10 minutes. The auction firm said the bag, actually used by the late actor Jane Birkin, became the highest-priced handbag ever put up for auction. According to French news agency AFP, the previous record was approximately 75 million yen, also for a Birkin bag. It has been known that a complaint by Birkin, a popular British actor and singer in France who died in 2023 at age 76, to then Hermes chief Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight that there was no handbag of suitable size gave birth to the first of bags later named after her. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Nikkei Asia
29-05-2025
- Nikkei Asia
Old ink, new tricks: Hong Kong reboots a classical medium
NICHOLAS STEPHENS HONG KONG -- In this fast-paced international city, cosmopolitan urbanites might be expected to focus on the latest artists from London or New York, leaving classical paintings to gather dust. The city is Asia's contemporary art hub, home to the regional headquarters of the international auction houses Sotheby's, Phillips and Christie's, the major contemporary art museum M+ and more than 60 commercial galleries. Asia's largest art fair, Art Basel Hong Kong, took place in March.
