logo
Record Is Broken As Original Birkin Sells For €8,582,500 At Auction

Record Is Broken As Original Birkin Sells For €8,582,500 At Auction

Forbes10-07-2025
Jane Birkin's Original Birkin on sale at Sotheby's Paris
Few items are as iconic as the Hermès Birkin handbag, which has become the symbol of ultimate luxury and exclusivity. It has been immortalized in popular culture across various disciplines—films, music, literature—and is loved by celebrities who proudly carry it on their arms for us all to admire. There is even a coveted dupe, the Wirkin, sold at Walmart, which has sparked much debate on the subject.
Until today, the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction is a White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Returnee Kelly 28, which fetched $513,040, but fashion history was made in Paris this afternoon, when the original Birkin prototype, owned by Jane Birkin herself, was sold at auction for €8,582.500 reflecting a growing trend in the sale of second-hand luxury items.
Investing In Collectable Pieces
There has been a rise in the sale of luxury second-hand items in recent times, particularly of rare pieces or those with a rich history. Money Week suggests that investing in luxury goods can yield dividends. According to the Knight Frank index, the strongest-performing luxury asset last year was handbags, which posted a 2.8% return, compared to a loss of 9% for whisky and an 18.3% loss for art. Over five years, the handbag sector is up 34%.
Furthermore, BCG states that wealthy investors are increasingly seeking alternative investments to diversify their portfolios and hedge against inflation. They cite the example of luxury watches, which have generally delivered strong price performance in the market over the past five to ten years, confirming that the sector is growing.
I spoke to Tobias Kormind, co-founder and managing director of 77diamonds. He told me that for the last couple of years he has seen a steady increase in collectable items such as jewelry, art, or uncommon items such as this original Birkin handbag. He added that in an age when micro-trends are rife on social media, and keeping up with them seems to become more and more complicated, these rare and collectable items hold a particular appeal, not only for their investment value, but also for what they represent: something timeless and unchanging, a unique story captured through the object that cannot be replicated in any way.
Kormind also explained that people are more interested in purchasing collectables as investment pieces, giving me the example of rare diamonds and jewelry pieces going on auction, such as Marie Antoinette's infamous jewelry collection, which included a necklace that created a lot of controversy in the lead-up to the French Revolution. 'A unique story that opens a window in time, and just cannot be replicated in any other way,' he says.
British-French actress, singer-songwriter and fashion model Jane Birkin, UK, 25th October 1968 ... More (Photo by Daily Express/)
The Story Of The Original Birkin
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès, the luxury house founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès (1801-1878), who opened a leather workshop in Paris at 56 rue Basse du Rempart. There, he produced leather goods for equestrian attire, including horse harnesses, fittings, and bridles, which he'd sew by hand, using a saddle stitch, with a waxed thread and two needles to provide extra strength. The same stitch is still used when creating a Birkin bag, which takes between 18 and 24 hours to make, and is sewn entirely by hand by a single artisan who has undergone years of training before being entrusted with the job.
As told by Jane Birkin in an interview with CBS, the story of the unique Birkin Bag begins at an airport. She was flying from Paris to London on an Air France flight when, upon check-in, a flight attendant upgraded her to First Class. Once on board, she found herself seated next to a very polite gentleman. As she was getting settled, her agenda fell on the floor, scattering papers everywhere, to which the gentleman beside her suggested she use an agenda with pockets. Birkin replied, 'What can you do? Hermès doesn't make them with pockets.' At this point, the gentleman revealed his identity: he was Jean-Louis Dumas (Executive Chairman of Hermès from 1978 to 2006). Birkin told him how difficult it was to find a leather bag that met all her needs as a young mother, explaining that she required something larger than the Kelly bag (a smaller Hermès handbag) but not as large as a suitcase. Together, they sketched the desired bag on the back of a paper sick-bag, which Jean-Louis Dumas took away with him. A month later, he called Jane Birkin and invited her to review the prototype, which was made of cardboard. Once they had discussed the details, Hermès asked if they could name the bag after her, to which she agreed.
Talking to Kurmind, we discuss the extreme importance of the story behind each piece in connection to its selling value. 'In fact,' he says, 'I would say that it's the story that makes the inherent value of the piece. Without it, it would just be a very luxurious, well-made object; but it's the story that elevates its desirability to incredible levels. Now all that is left to ask is just how high people are willing to pay to own a little piece of history.'
Jane Birkin's Original Birkin. Her initials are embossed on the bag
Seven Differences
The Original Birkin bag is full of character. Jane Birkin used it daily and filled it to the brim. She used to carry keys and charms on it that would create a bell-like sound when she walked. Jane Birkin also placed stickers on her bag in support of humanitarian causes such as Médecins du Monde and UNICEF. In 1994, she donated this bag to the French AIDS charity Association Solidarité Sida for an auction. It was then resold at auction by Poulain Le Fur in May 2000 and has remained in private hands until today, when the legendary accessory headlined the Fashion Icons sale at Sotheby's Paris.
Jane Birkin's Original Birkin had a shoulder strap
As described by Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, the bag is a true unicorn in the world of fashion and accessories. Being the prototype, the original Birkin bag auctioned today differs slightly from the standard Birkin bags available on the market. Firstly, its size is unique: it has the width and height of a Birkin 35 cm but the depth of a 40 cm Birkin. Unlike later models, it features closed metal brackets and a zip made by the Éclair company (before Hermès began a partnership with the Riri company). It features an attached shoulder strap and has her initials, J.B., embossed on the front flap. Like all Birkin bags, this one has studs on the base, but these are smaller than the standard ones used today. The original also displays gilded brass hardware, which in later models was replaced by gold-plated hardware and other finishes. Finally, the bag comes with a set of nail clippers attached to the base of the strap, a reflection of the practical nature and tomboy aesthetic Jane Birkin personified.
Jane Birkin's Original Birkin has a pair of nail clippers attached to the strap
Today's record sale comes as no surprise. The Original Birkin bag is a piece of fashion history. Unique in its finish, this iconic piece was made specifically for Jane Birkin. As Kormind says, it's the one she used, the one that started the trend and therefore the one whose story is one-of-a-kind.
Jane Birkin
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Why Major Retailers Are Secretly Planning Their Own Stablecoins (and What It Means for Investors)
Why Major Retailers Are Secretly Planning Their Own Stablecoins (and What It Means for Investors)

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Why Major Retailers Are Secretly Planning Their Own Stablecoins (and What It Means for Investors)

Key Points Some top retailers are eyeing stablecoins as a way to cut costs, boost profitability, and improve operational efficiency. Retailers can also use stablecoins as part of their branded loyalty programs, or to improve the overall shopping experience. In addition to retailers, a growing number of banks, payment providers, and tech firms plan to issue stablecoins. 10 stocks we like better than Circle Internet Group › The passage of landmark stablecoin legislation this summer could have far-reaching implications beyond just the financial sector. The Genius Act opens the door for nonbanks to issue stablecoins of their own, and that could greatly expand the number of retailers that offer stablecoins to their customers. In June, the Wall Street Journal reported that both Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) were secretly planning stablecoins of their own. Presumably, all they needed was the ink to dry on the new stablecoin legislation, and they could get started. Here's why stablecoins could change everything for them. Profitability and cost savings As they say, always follow the money. And the money in this case is the potential cost savings from using stablecoins rather than credit cards for payments. Typically, credit card processing fees are as high as 2%-3% per transaction. So the ability to cut costs by moving everything to blockchain payment technology is certainly alluring. But here's the thing: You need to have enough scale to make any stablecoin project worth it. That's why Amazon and Walmart are two of the most prominent names involved in the stablecoin discussion right now. Quite simply, they are retail behemoths. When you're making billions of dollars in sales, savings of 2%-3% can really rack up. Moreover, there has been discussion that stablecoins could be used to pay employees, logistics partners, and other members of the retail supply chain, especially those located overseas. Imagine tiny cost savings suddenly popping up all over your business by going all-in on blockchain technology. As a result of all these potential cost savings and operational efficiencies, even Visa (NYSE: V) is exploring new projects that leverage stablecoins, including stablecoin-linked cards. In many ways, the writing is on the wall: Stablecoins are coming to retail, in one form or another. A better customer experience Let's assume that the big retail giants are more than just penny-pinching corporations attempting to boost the bottom line. Many of them really do want to create a better customer experience, and stablecoins could play a role here, too. First, they could choose to reinvent their customer loyalty programs to feature stablecoins. Instead of "cash back" at the end of the year, they might be able to offer other incentives that reward customers for using stablecoins at the point of sale. And stablecoins might improve the overall shopping experience. That's because blockchain technology speeds up transaction settlement times, from days to just seconds. This could, for example, vastly improve the speed that you get refunds for purchases. How many times have you requested a refund, and been told, "Oh, it should show up in your account in a few days"? Imagine having access to that money nearly instantaneously. Of course, getting customers to embrace stablecoins might be a tough sell. According to top retail industry analysts, one way to get over the adoption hurdle is by pitching stablecoins as a sort of gift card or branded loyalty card that you would present at the point of sale. You wouldn't need to know anything about blockchain technology, crypto, or how stablecoins actually work. Everything would be seamless, and happen behind the scenes. Implications for investors Undeniably, stablecoins represent a huge step for retailers. They will need a tremendous amount of tech savvy in order to get all the blockchain payment technology working as planned. So why not leave all the heavy lifting to Silicon Valley tech firms, some of whom are also planning to launch new stablecoins? Moreover, as the latest Motley Fool research on stablecoins points out, the largest banks still dwarf even the biggest stablecoin issuers. So why not leave the job of stablecoins to banks and other financial institutions, some of whom have said they plan to launch their own stablecoins soon? All of which leads me to think: Maybe investing directly in retailers is not the best way to play the stablecoin trend. Maybe it's better to invest in tech-savvy companies that have strong retail platforms. You could, for example, invest in PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL), which launched a stablecoin of its own in August 2023. Or, you could invest in Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP), which is now offering stablecoin payment options at the point of sale for e-commerce websites. As for me, I'm still focused on stablecoin issuers such as Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL), which went public in June via a splashy initial public offering. Circle is the issuer of USDC (CRYPTO: USDC), which is the second-most popular stablecoin in the world right now, with a market cap of about $65 billion. It's also the stablecoin of choice for Shopify. At the end of the day, stablecoins could turn out to be a classic "make or buy" decision faced by top retailers. Is it better to make your own stablecoin, or simply buy one that already exists from someone else? My guess is that most retailers will opt for the latter. Should you buy stock in Circle Internet Group right now? Before you buy stock in Circle Internet Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Circle Internet Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,774!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,942!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,040% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Dominic Basulto has positions in Amazon, Circle Internet Group, and USDC. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, PayPal, Shopify, Visa, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $42.50 calls on PayPal and short September 2025 $77.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Major Retailers Are Secretly Planning Their Own Stablecoins (and What It Means for Investors) was originally published by The Motley Fool

Stablecoins Are on the Rise. 3 Reasons Investors Should Pay Attention to This Popular Cryptocurrency.
Stablecoins Are on the Rise. 3 Reasons Investors Should Pay Attention to This Popular Cryptocurrency.

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Stablecoins Are on the Rise. 3 Reasons Investors Should Pay Attention to This Popular Cryptocurrency.

Key Points New crypto legislation in Congress has paved the way for rapid expansion of the stablecoin industry. In addition to financial services firms, companies in industries ranging from retail to tech could launch new stablecoins. Stablecoins have the potential to disrupt existing industries and change the way investors value companies. 10 stocks we like better than Circle Internet Group › Passage of landmark new crypto legislation (the Genius Act) has led to a surge of positive sentiment about stablecoins. Some investors now think they have the potential to disrupt entire industries. Although some of this hype and buzz may be overblown, investors still need to pay attention. Here are three key ways that stablecoins could influence your investment strategy. 1. Impact on the business models of top companies Stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged 1:1 to a fiat currency such as the U.S. dollar, have the potential to affect the business models of companies that have nothing to do with crypto or blockchain. Take retail, for example. A handful of top retailers -- including Amazon and Walmart -- are now exploring stablecoins as a way of cutting down on credit card processing fees. At some point in the not-so-distant future, you might be paying for your online purchases with stablecoins, rather than credit cards. Or what about the financial services industry? Visa is a prime candidate for disruption, so it is already taking steps to prepare for the stablecoin era. And Western Union is also preparing for the day when customers use stablecoins rather than dollars to send cross-border remittances. So get ready to hear a lot about stablecoins on analyst calls and at investor conferences. After asking questions about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), investors and analysts might start to ask about the impact of stablecoins. At the very least, investors need to understand how stablecoins might change or disrupt existing business models. 2. New stablecoin launches Also, get ready for a deluge of new stablecoin launches from some unlikely names. And it won't just be banks or financial institutions issuing them. Under the Genius Act, even nonbanks will be able to issue them. And that could really open the floodgates. Right now, Tether (CRYPTO: USDT) and USDC (CRYPTO: USDC), the stablecoin issued by Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL), account for a whopping 90% of the $250 billion stablecoin industry. According to the latest Motley Fool stablecoin research, Tether and Circle are smaller than the biggest national banks, but larger than typical midsized brokerages. So, they're definitely, a force to be reckoned with. Right now, I'm partial to USDC, because it's the unofficial stablecoin of Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN), which has a partnership agreement with Circle. I also am confident that it will never lose its peg to the U.S. dollar. I wouldn't have as much confidence in smaller stablecoins without such a proven track record or as many key partners. It's easy to see how this industry will become a lot more fragmented very soon, making it potentially even more confusing for the average investor. In June, Fortune reported that Apple, Airbnb, X, and Alphabet were exploring stablecoin launches. So, if you're an Apple fan, you might want to own an Apple stablecoin. The same is true if you're an Elon Musk fan -- wouldn't you want to own a cool new X stablecoin? 3. Ethereum Finally, there's the matter of which blockchain will emerge as the dominant platform for stablecoins. Presumably, investors will flock to blockchains that are seeing the most success with stablecoins. That's because stablecoins are key building blocks for everything that happens in blockchain finance. So the most popular blockchains for stablecoins should also get the highest valuations. Currently, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is getting a lot of buzz because it accounts for 49% of the stablecoin market. According to investment strategist Tom Lee of Fundstrat, stablecoins are going to create a "ChatGPT moment" for Ethereum, with the potential to really light a fire under its price. With that in mind, it's easy to see why high-profile investors such as Peter Thiel are now starting to increase their exposure to Ethereum as a way of investing in stablecoins. But Ethereum hardly has a monopoly on stablecoins. All Layer-1 blockchains, if they can support smart contracts, should also be able to support stablecoins. And that creates the opportunity for relatively unknown names to really pop. According to CoinGecko, Tron (CRYPTO: TRX) has a 34.1% share of the stablecoin market. By way of comparison, Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) only has a measly 2.2% share. If you think that stablecoins are the future, then Solana (with a $100 billion valuation), might be way overvalued compared to Tron, which has a $30 billion valuation. What's the best way to play the stablecoin trend? It's obvious that there are a number of different ways to play the stablecoin trend. The easiest way is to invest in the issuers of stablecoins, such as Circle. That gives you maximum exposure to any potential upside. You could also invest in blockchains such as Ethereum that are dominant in stablecoins, with the expectation that their values are going to soar. By the end of 2025, investing in stablecoins could get very interesting. What if a popular company like Amazon, Apple, or Alphabet decides to launch a stablecoin? It might fundamentally alter the way investors view these companies. That's why, even if you've never paid attention to stablecoins before, you should now. Very soon, they're going to become impossible to ignore. Should you invest $1,000 in Circle Internet Group right now? Before you buy stock in Circle Internet Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Circle Internet Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,774!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,942!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,040% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Dominic Basulto has positions in Amazon, Circle Internet Group, Ethereum, Solana, and USDC. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Airbnb, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Ethereum, Solana, Visa, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Stablecoins Are on the Rise. 3 Reasons Investors Should Pay Attention to This Popular Cryptocurrency. was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio

5 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Walmart+ Membership
5 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Walmart+ Membership

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

5 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Walmart+ Membership

A Walmart+ membership can be a valuable tool for the right person, especially for those who regularly shop at Walmart and would like the convenience of free home delivery plus other money-saving perks. For those who are wondering whether to cancel after the free 30-day trial or whether to renew their current membership, here are a few things to think about. Check Out: Read Next: Your 30-Day Trial Is Up and You Hardly Used the Membership If you decided to give a Walmart+ membership a whirl and didn't use it much, that's a good reason to cancel it. Unless you have rock-solid plans to use it in the future, why pay $98 a year for something you'll barely use? You Don't Want To Tip the Delivery Driver If one of the reasons you wanted the membership was for the convenience of Walmart delivering purchases and prescriptions to your doorstep, but you don't want to tip the delivery driver, you'll probably want to cancel. Even though Walmart does not require shoppers to tip, drivers may expect tips and pass over your order if they know you aren't planning to tip. Unfortunately, this can delay your order, which is an inconvenience and not worth the membership fee. Discover More: The Mobile Scan-and-Go Feature Won't Work Consistently The mobile scan-and-go feature is one of the perks of the Walmart+ membership because it saves time. It allows shoppers to scan their items while shopping and skip scanning at the checkout kiosk. However, some shoppers complain it doesn't work consistently, leaving them to have to rescan all of their items before checkout — which was what they were trying to avoid in the first place. You might as well save time and check out as normal if you experience these issues. Your Items Don't Arrive on Time Look online and you'll find plenty of complaints from Walmart+ members who say their items don't arrive on time. Other complaints include getting the wrong order, having missing items or having their order misdirected. If during your 30-day trial you experience more than one instance like these, it's likely you will continue to experience more of the same. Why pay for a service that doesn't deliver on its promises? Save time and frustration by utilizing curbside pickup or shopping in-store to pick up your items. You're Not Interested in Any of the Other Perks A Walmart+ membership isn't only for free delivery; it also offers the following perks: Free shipping with no order minimum Free pharmacy delivery with no order minimum Save $0.10 per gallon on fuel at more than 13,000 stations nationwide Free Paramount+ subscription 25% off daily Burger King purchases and a free Whopper with purchase every three months While these are all valuable perks, if you're not interested in utilizing any of them, you should probably cancel your Walmart+ membership. More From GOBankingRates 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth This article originally appeared on 5 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Walmart+ Membership

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store