A Birkin handbag is an accessory coveted by fashionistas all over the world.
Now one design addict has snapped up a 2015 bag at Christie’s for £162,500 (R3.1million) – smashing the asking price of between £70,000 (R1.3million) and £90,000 (R1.7million).
Hermes Himalaya niloticus crocodile Birkin. (@Christies)
The Hermes Himalaya niloticus crocodile Birkin 35 is named after actress Jane Birkin who, in 1983, sat next to Hermes’ chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight.
When she complained about not being able to find a good leather weekend bag, he designed a versatile one for her to use.
The bag was named after actress Jane Birkin. (Instagram/girlsofthesixties)
Since it was introduced in 1986, the hugely popular design has been a hit with celebrities and collectors, including Victoria Beckham, who has a collection of more than 100 Birkins said to be worth more than £1.5million (R28million).
The sale makes the bag the second-most expensive handbag sold at auction in Europe after a 2008 Hermes Himalaya Birkin bag sold for £162,500 (3million) in June 2018.
The European record holder for the most expensive handbag sold at auction is the 2010 Hermes Himalaya niloticus crocodile Birkin, which sold for £236,750 (R4.4million) in December last year.
© Daily Mail