Sotheby's news and archive

The 10 million dollar bag: Original Birkin smashes records at Paris auction

The first-ever Birkin bag designed by French luxury brand Hermes for celebrity Jane Birkin sold for 8.58 million euros (10 million dollars) at a Sotheby's auction in Paris on Thursday, smashing previous price records for a handbag. The modern design classic, owned by a well-known Paris-based handbag collector, sparked a telephone bidding war up...

Video

Original Birkin bag up for auction at Sotheby's

The original Birkin bag, created in 1985 after Jane Birkin's encounter with Jean-Louis Dumas, is now at auction. This historic piece, representing the origin of the iconic Birkin, is featured in the Fashion Icons including The Original Birkin auction at Sotheby's Paris on July 10.

Fashion

Sotheby’s to auction off Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag

Auction house Sotheby’s is putting Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag up for sale as part of its first ‘Fashion Icons’ lot. The bag, typically known to be “The Original Birkin”, is a black leather prototype featuring design elements “that set it apart from every Birkin that followed”, Sotheby’s said, including a stamp with the initials...

Retail

First ever Birkin bag to be auctioned in July

The first Birkin bag that was designed by French luxury brand Hermes for actress Jane Birkin in 1984, will be auctioned in Paris on July 10, auction house Sotheby's said Thursday. The large black leather tote, whose design went on to become one of the most famous and expensive bags in the world, will be the centrepiece of the "Fashion Icons"...

Culture

Victoria Beckham collaborates with Sotheby's

British fashion designer Victoria Beckham has teamed up with auction house Sotheby's to display a selection of contemporary artworks by George Condo and Keith Haring in her Dover Street boutique in London. Working with Sotheby’s specialists, Beckham, who is known for collecting art with her husband David Beckham, has selected 10 artworks by...

Fashion

CFDA and Sotheby’s celebrate Defining American Style auction

Ahead of the upcoming New York Fashion Week, the event’s organiser Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) had already set out to celebrate American fashion through the opening of an exhibition honouring designers from the region. The display was held as a preview to luxury auction house Sotheby’s latest sale, ‘Vision of America’, which...

People

Sotheby’s names new head of media, editor-in-chief

Auction house Sotheby’s has announced the appointment of Kristina O’Neill to the newly created role head of Sotheby’s Media as well as editor-in-chief of Sotheby’s Magazine, effective January 8. The media division of the company will launch as a new global initiative dedicated to omnichannel content covering digital, audio and video elements....

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Business

Princess Diana's sweater fetched one million, over ten times more than expected

A jumper belonging to Princess Diana fetched 1.1 million dollars at Sotheby's, according to the auction house's website. That is 10 times more than Sotheby's initial estimate, which expected proceeds of between 50,000 and 80,000 dollars. A newly engaged Diana wore the jersey to Prince Charles' polo match in 1981. The sheep depicted on the jersey...

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Business

Sotheby’s and Louis Vuitton to team up on charity auction

Luxury label Louis Vuitton has unveiled a new partnership with high-end auction house Sotheby’s, which will see 22 of the brand’s artist-designed Artycapucines bags become available in an auction for charity. The handbag collection allows contemporary artists to bring their own vision to the classic, limited edition pieces, with those involved...

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Business

CFDA and Sotheby’s to partner on American design auction

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has announced a new partnership with luxury auction house Sotheby’s to curate a collection of pieces by American designers. Among the items will be a number of iconic designs and rare pieces donated by CFDA members and collectors of American fashion, the organisation said. Furthermore, an...

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Business

Pendant worn by Princess Diana to come to auction via Sotheby’s

Auction house Sotheby’s has announced that a jewellery item worn by the late Princess Diana is set to become available as part of its annual Royal and Noble sale. The Attallah Cross is currently owned by Ramsay Attallah, a relative of Naim Attallah, the former group chief executive of Asprey & Garrard. According to Attallah, the princess had...

Fashion

Rare diamond sells for 52 million pounds in Hong Kong auction

Sotheby’s in Hong Kong sold an extremely rare pink diamond for 453m Hong Kong dollars, approximately 52m pounds. The diamond, which has a link to Queen Elizabeth II, fetched more than double its estimate. Called the Williamson Pink Star, it is one of the world’s purest, most saturated pink diamonds at 11.15 carats. By standards, it is the...