The first-ever Birkin bag, specially created for Jane Birkin by Hermès, fetched $10.1 million at a Paris auction. This price shattered the previous handbag auction record. The origin of this coveted accessory dates back to the 1980s, when Birkin, an actor and singer, shared her vision for a larger, more practical handbag with the then-head of Hermès, Jean-Louis Dumas. Sketched out on an air sickness bag during a flight, Birkin’s design concept became the basis for what would eventually be known as the Birkin bag – one of the world’s most exclusive and desirable luxury items. After keeping the prototype for nearly a decade, Birkin auctioned it for charity in 1994, with subsequent private sales. (Newser)
