Collecting Focus: Luxury Handbags

From record-breaking Birkins to playful Chanel collectibles, the handbag marketplace has ne'er been much exciting, writes Mandi Keighran

Hermès Beton Matte Alligator, Blanc Togo, Bleu Brume Chèvre and White, Orange H and Craie Swift, Blanc Sombrero Neige Faubourg Birkin 20 Sellier Palladium Hardware, 2022. Photograph: Sotheby’s

In July 2025, a somewhat battered achromatic leather bag—complete with the archetypal owner’s nail clippers hanging from the strap—sold astatine Sotheby’s Paris for US$10.1m. The container was the archetypal Hermès Birkin, the prototype of the now-iconic style, crafted for histrion Jane Birkin successful 1984 aft a accidental brushwood with Hermès main enforcement Jean-Louis Dumas connected a flight. Bidding opened astatine €1m (US$1.15m) and 9 collectors fought implicit it successful a 10-minute bidding warfare that proved, without a doubt, that the handbag marketplace is 1 to beryllium taken seriously.

“The archetypal auctions with handbags started astir 2008 to 2010, and since past the marketplace has expanded significantly,” says Gabrielle Hollenbeck, an subordinate specializer successful handbags astatine Sotheby’s. “With societal media, and cognition and consciousness of brands similar Hermès and Chanel, it has truly grown.”

Jane Birkin with her archetypal Hermès Birkin. Photograph: Copyright Mike Daines_Shutterstock

Today, astir 90 per cent of Sotheby’s handbag income are Hermès, with styles specified arsenic the Birkin and Kelly proving astir popular. Current tastes thin towards smaller sizes, specified arsenic the Mini Kelly oregon the Birkin 25, positive limited-edition pieces. 

Among the astir coveted are the Birkin 20 bags successful exotic skins and Faubourg Birkins: exquisite miniatures of the brand’s flagship store successful Paris, implicit with tiny windows and awnings, which routinely fetch upward of US$150,000. “The Faubourg Birkins are precise playful—like tiny pieces of art,” says Hollenbeck. “It’s decidedly a special-occasion bag.”

While determination whitethorn ne'er beryllium a merchantability that matches the grounds acceptable by the archetypal Birkin, determination person been immoderate notable pieces connected the marketplace successful caller years. One of the eventual “it” bags is the Hermès Diamond Himalaya Birkin 30, which is crafted from Niloticus crocodile tegument and features diamond-encrusted 18-karat white-gold hardware. In 2022, Sotheby’s sold 1 successful a backstage merchantability for US$450,000.

Chanel’s Casino Monaco Slot Machine Minaudière, 2023, and Pink, Clear and Blue Resin Coco Beach Ball Minaudière, 2019. Photographs: Sotheby’s

Chanel besides commands attraction astatine auction, peculiarly the highly embellished minaudières (small decorative handbags). These whimsical designs, which instrumentality the signifier of thing from a Chanel No5 perfume vessel to a cupcake, tin outgo up to US$20,000 successful store and thin to clasp their worth astatine auction. “They’re beauteous pieces—very uncommon and precise collectible,” says Hollenbeck. 

As this marketplace grows, the collector basal is broadening. Hollenbeck has noticed increasing numbers of antheral buyers drawn by the concern opportunity, which she compares to watches. “They clasp their worth implicit time, and you mightiness not beryllium capable to entree galore of the rarer pieces easy successful store,” she explains. 

Younger collectors gravitate towards trendier, smaller styles, portion much established buyers question retired larger sizes and exotic skins. Vintage Hermès, which is defined arsenic thing pre-2000, is an underrated introduction point, says Hollenbeck. “These bags person stood the trial of clip and they’re inactive beauteous luxury leather pieces.”

A enactment of ‘buy now’ luxury handbags connected presumption astatine Sotheby’s Salon. Photograph: Stefan Ruiz

For many, luxury handbags are investments and objects of creation alternatively than accessories for mundane use—and to clasp their value, Hollenbeck’s proposal is to deliberation of them arsenic you would a sculpture. “You truly person to dainty it similar a portion of art,” she says. Avoid nonstop sunlight, which tin change the colour of delicate leathers, and support a unchangeable temperature. Bags should beryllium kept stuffed with acid-free insubstantial to clasp their signifier and stored successful their particulate bags erstwhile not connected show. Some collectors spell further, lodging prized pieces successful solid oregon acrylic cases, which genuinely elevates them to the presumption of artwork.

For those considering a archetypal purchase, the secondary market—including Sotheby’s auctions and its integer Buy Now platform—offers thing the boutique often cannot: choice. “We person a wide assortment of bags successful antithetic shapes, styles and colors,” Hollenbeck says. “There’s nary warrant you volition beryllium capable to bargain the container you privation successful store, but astatine auction, chances are you’re going to find thing you like.”

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