Mystery $10M Birkin buyer says purchase was his ‘most expensive' ever: ‘Made me sick to my stomach'
Japanese resale mogul Shinsuke Sakimoto, that's who. The now-revealed mystery buyer placed his winning bid from halfway around the world on the original Hermès Birkin last month — making the coveted fashion artifact the priciest purse in history.
And yes, he's still recovering from the experience.
Advertisement
4 Who blew $10.1M on a used handbag? Meet Shinsuke Sakimoto — a Japanese resale tycoon who snagged the record-breaking Birkin from halfway across the globe.
Valuence
4 The jaw-dropping sale of the original Hermès Birkin rocked the auction world — and now the Tokyo tycoon behind the splurge is speaking out.
Getty Images
'It was the most expensive purchase I've ever made for a single item,' the Valuence Holdings CEO admitted, as reported by CNN. 'It was very exciting, but it really made me sick to my stomach.'
Sakimoto snapped up the 1984 prototype bag, designed for British 'it girl' Jane Birkin — actress, singer, model and icon of effortless Parisian style.
Advertisement
The top-quality tote was sold last month at Sotheby's Paris in a nine-way bidding war that sent prices sky-high.
The final gavel dropped at 7 million euros. Add in fees, and Sakimoto shelled out over $10 million for the black leather beauty.
Advertisement
Sakimoto, 43, watched the drama unfold via phone from his Tokyo office, channeling his past life as a pro soccer player into auction aggression.
'We were almost at the upper limit, but in those few minutes we were strategizing how to inflict psychological damage on our opponents and force them to give up,' he said. 'Hit back in three or five seconds. I had to be aggressive.'
In true sports fashion, he'd even dreamt of the win — twice — the night before.
Of course, the luxury-loving gods weren't footing the bill. Sakimoto says the purchase — made under his company, not personally — was a strategic investment, not a sentimental splurge.
Advertisement
4 The Birkin's bragging rights just hit a whole new level — a wild nine-way bidding war at Sotheby's Paris sent prices soaring.
AP
'It was certain that the winning bid would break the record, which meant it would be reported all over the world,' he explained.
Valuence expects the media blitz to generate 'several billion yen' in advertising value — possibly enough to justify the stomachache.
But don't expect this Birkin to land in someone's closet. Sakimoto insists it's not for resale.
In fact, it's likely to cost even more thanks to shipping and import duties, which are expected to add another $2 million to the final tab.
Instead, he plans to share the prized purse with the world, keeping it on public display — not tucked in a vault.
'The purpose of winning this artwork is not to make it the personal property of the wealthy, but to create a new ownership model — for companies like ours and society to share, together,' Sakimoto said. 'We want to preserve it in the future and share it with everyone.'
Advertisement
He added that learning about Jane Birkin's philanthrophic legacy helped him feel connected to her mission.
4 The original Hermès Birkin is the 1984 prototype made for the late British 'it girl' Jane Birkin — actress, singer, model and Parisian style legend.
Mike Daines / Shutterstock
'I felt that I have a very strong connection with these people [like Jane Birkin], and their role as ambassadors or evangelists, that really match our company's business philosophy.'
Hey, for $10 million, it better match.
Advertisement
As previously reported by The Post, before this record-breaking OG Birkin snagged the spotlight, the priciest purse ever sold at auction was a Himalaya Crocodile Birkin — which fetched a jaw-dropping $450,000, back in 2022.
Jane Birkin, who passed away in 2023, was widely revered for her chic ensembles, and she was known to carry her belongings in a woven basket — whether on the red carpet or while running errands.
The first Birkin was born after the 'Je t'aime… moi non plus' crooner met Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight.
Advertisement
Spotting her straw basket, he suggested she needed a 'better bag' — then sketched the now-iconic design on an airplane barf bag.
Months later, the prototype was ready — launching a luxury legend.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
20 minutes ago
- Forbes
Powerball Jackpot Hits $449 Million—Here's What The Winner Could Take Home
The Powerball jackpot rose to $449 million—the second biggest of the year so far—after no tickets matched all six numbers drawn on Monday night, although the eventual winner will likely take home a much smaller payout after paying their taxes. The Powerball jackpot rose to $449 million on Monday. AFP via Getty Images If a winner emerges in the next draw, they can choose between receiving the $449 million spread over 30 annualized payments or a one-time lump sum cash payout of $203.9 million—usually the popular choice. If the cash payout is chosen, the winnings will drop to $155 million after a mandatory federal withholding of 24% is applied. The winner could then face a federal marginal rate as high as 37%, depending on their taxable income, further slashing their winnings to $128.4 million. If the winner picks the installment route, their annual payments of around $14.97 million would drop to $9.43 million if the 37% federal marginal rate is applied. The winner may also face additional taxes from their state of residence, as some states like New York tax lottery winnings at 10.9%, while others, such as Texas, Florida, and California, don't. 1-in-292.2 million. Those are the astronomical odds a Powerball ticket buyer has to overcome to win the jackpot. This is slightly worse than the Mega Millions jackpot odds of 1-in-290.4 million. Earlier this year, Mega Millions implemented some changes that slightly improved the odds of winning the jackpot from 1-in-302.6 million. What To Watch For The next draw for the Powerball jackpot will take place on Wednesday night. Key Background The biggest lottery prize of the year so far was a Powerball jackpot of $526.5 million, won by a ticket buyer from California. Last year's biggest lottery prize was also a Powerball Jackpot—worth $1.326 billion and won by an Oregon resident. The biggest Mega Millions jackpot this year was a $349 million prize won by an Illinois resident in March. Powerball Jackpot Reaches $426 Million—Here's What The Winner Could Take Home After Taxes (Forbes)
an hour ago
Australia selects Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for $6.5B warship deal
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Australia said Tuesday it accepted a Japanese company's bid for a lucrative and hotly contested contract to build Australian warships, expected to be worth 10 billion Australian dollars ($6.5 billion). Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Mogami-class frigate won the deal over rival Germany's MEKO A-200 from Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Japan's government lobbied heavily for the deal after missing out on Australia's submarines contract to a French company in 2016. 'This is clearly the biggest defense industry agreement that will ever have been struck between Japan and Australia,' Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters when he announced the deal Tuesday. 'In fact, it's really one of the biggest defense exports that Japan has ever engaged in.' The fleet of 11 naval vessels will replace Australia's ageing fleet of ANZAC-class ships. Three of the frigates will be built in Japan, with the first scheduled to be operational Australia in 2030, and the remaining eight due for construction in Australia. Australian news outlets reported that the German company's bid had emphasized their vessel's cheaper price and their greater experience building ships abroad. But Pat Conroy, Australia's Minister for Defense Industry, said the Mogami-class frigate was a 'clear winner' when assessed by 'cost, capability and meeting our schedule of delivery.' The vessels have a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers) and 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles. The frigates can operate with a crew of 90, compared to the 170 needed to operate the ANZAC-class ships. Mitsubishi's win was a boon for Japan's defense industry, which has not built naval vessels abroad before. Japan, whose only treaty ally is the United States, considers Australia a semi-ally and has increasingly sought to deepen bilateral military cooperation amid ongoing regional tensions in the disputed South China Sea. 'We welcome the decision by the Australian government as a major step to further elevate Japan's national security cooperation with Australia, which is our special strategic partner,' Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday. Nakatani said co-developing the frigate will allow the two countries to train and operate with the same equipment and further improve operability and efficiency. Japan set up a joint taskforce of government and industry in an effort to win the bid. Australian officials said work on a binding commercial contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the government of Japan would now begin, with a finalized agreement expected in 2026. They did not say how much each ship would cost or confirm a total figure for the package, citing ongoing negotiations. But Conroy said the government had allowed AU$10 billion for the project over the next 10 years. It forms part of the AU$55 billion that Australia has budgeted for the navy's entire surface combatant fleet during the same period. —-
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Australia selects Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for $6.5B warship deal
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Australia said Tuesday it accepted a Japanese company's bid for a lucrative and hotly contested contract to build Australian warships, expected to be worth 10 billion Australian dollars ($6.5 billion). Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Mogami-class frigate won the deal over rival Germany's MEKO A-200 from Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Japan's government lobbied heavily for the deal after missing out on Australia's submarines contract to a French company in 2016. 'This is clearly the biggest defense industry agreement that will ever have been struck between Japan and Australia,' Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters when he announced the deal Tuesday. 'In fact, it's really one of the biggest defense exports that Japan has ever engaged in.' The fleet of 11 naval vessels will replace Australia's ageing fleet of ANZAC-class ships. Three of the frigates will be built in Japan, with the first scheduled to be operational Australia in 2030, and the remaining eight due for construction in Australia. Australian news outlets reported that the German company's bid had emphasized their vessel's cheaper price and their greater experience building ships abroad. But Pat Conroy, Australia's Minister for Defense Industry, said the Mogami-class frigate was a 'clear winner' when assessed by 'cost, capability and meeting our schedule of delivery.' The vessels have a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers) and 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles. The frigates can operate with a crew of 90, compared to the 170 needed to operate the ANZAC-class ships. Mitsubishi's win was a boon for Japan's defense industry, which has not built naval vessels abroad before. Japan, whose only treaty ally is the United States, considers Australia a semi-ally and has increasingly sought to deepen bilateral military cooperation amid ongoing regional tensions in the disputed South China Sea. 'We welcome the decision by the Australian government as a major step to further elevate Japan's national security cooperation with Australia, which is our special strategic partner,' Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday. Nakatani said co-developing the frigate will allow the two countries to train and operate with the same equipment and further improve operability and efficiency. Japan set up a joint taskforce of government and industry in an effort to win the bid. Australian officials said work on a binding commercial contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the government of Japan would now begin, with a finalized agreement expected in 2026. They did not say how much each ship would cost or confirm a total figure for the package, citing ongoing negotiations. But Conroy said the government had allowed AU$10 billion for the project over the next 10 years. It forms part of the AU$55 billion that Australia has budgeted for the navy's entire surface combatant fleet during the same period. —-
