(CNN) 鈥 The original Herm猫s Birkin bag, which acted as the blueprint for what would become one of the most desirable in the world, will go under the hammer in Paris next month.
The capacious saddle-stitched handbag, inspired by who died in 2023, will lead the 鈥淔ashion Icons鈥 sale at Sotheby鈥檚 on July 10, the auction house said in a statement Thursday.
Known as 鈥淭he Original Birkin,鈥 the all-black, leather handbag is the first version of the timeless luxury staple, which was envisaged about 40 years ago after a chance encounter on a plane between Birkin and then-Herm猫s CEO Jean-Louis Dumas, Sotheby鈥檚 said.
鈥淭here are rare moments in the world of fashion when an object transcends trends and becomes a legend. Jane Birkin鈥檚 Original Birkin bag is such a moment,鈥 said Morgane Halimi, Sotheby鈥檚 global head of handbags and fashion, in the statement.
Halimi said the bag 鈥渟tands shoulder to shoulder with other exceptional items with similarly dazzling provenance,鈥 such as Princess Diana鈥檚 and British rock star Freddie Mercury鈥檚 crown and cloak.
鈥淟ike them, the Original Birkin holds the potential to redefine records,鈥 Halimi added. CNN asked Sotheby鈥檚 how much they expect the handbag to sell for, but the auction house would not provide an estimate.
Birkin herself as a pop cultural phenomenon.
She told CNN鈥檚 Christiane Amanpour in 2020 that, after the bag鈥檚 fame skyrocketed, she wondered whether it might 鈥 rather than her movies or hit song 鈥淛e T鈥檃ime鈥 Moi Non Plus鈥 鈥 become what she was best remembered for.
鈥淏less me, when I鈥檓 dead鈥 (people) will possibly only talk about the bag,鈥 she joked.
The origin story of the bag started with an unexpected encounter.
On a flight in 1984, Birkin found herself seated next to Dumas. They struck up a conversation in which she said she wanted a bag 鈥渉alf the size of my suitcase,鈥 Birkin told Amanpour.
鈥淗e said, 鈥榃ell, draw it for me,鈥 and so I drew it on one of those sick bags 鈥 the vomit bags 鈥 in the airplane,鈥 Birkin said.
The original Birkin differs from subsequent versions in seven ways, Sotheby鈥檚 said, with its size, metal rings, brass hardware, shoulder strap, zip and bottom studs setting the prototype apart from future bags.
The bag, which is branded with Birkin鈥檚 initials 鈥 鈥淛.B鈥 鈥 on the front flap, also has a pair of nail clippers hanging from the shoulder strap, the auction house said.
It will go on public display at Sotheby鈥檚 New York galleries from June 6 to 12.
Thousands flocked to see the bag when it was exhibited publicly at Sotheby鈥檚 Paris Galleries last autumn, and then at Sotheby鈥檚 Maison in Hong Kong earlier this year, the auction house added.
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