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

The authentic bag custom-made for late actress Jane Birkin which turned a design icon was revealed to media in Tokyo on Wednesday by the Japanese firm that bought it for a record 8.6 million euros ($10 million) at Sotheby’s in Paris earlier this yr.

According to style lore, the primary Birkin bag was conceived when the Franco-British actress and singer sat subsequent to Hermes govt Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight in 1984 and informed him she wanted a stylish-yet-functional bag as a younger mom. Dumas instantly sketched out the oblong purse, with a devoted area for child bottles.

After Birkin received her custom-made bag, the corporate went on to fabricate smaller variations for the mass-market, turning it into an prompt hit and serving to gasoline the style model’s growth.

Shinsuke Sakimoto, co-founder and CEO of second-hand luxurious items reseller Valuence Japan, which bought the Birkin, mentioned the story of the purse’s inception represented the corporate’s 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, they should be spoken about in terms of their significance,” mentioned Sakimoto.

Valuence plans to show its prized purchase in museums and related venues reasonably than resell it, he mentioned. Birkin herself auctioned the bag in 1994 to help Sidaction, a French charity that raises funds to combat AIDS.