Birkin & Gainsbourg’s Lost Hermès Gem Hits Auction

• A historic Hermès Haut à Courroies (HAC) 50 bag, once owned by the iconic couple Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, is heading to auction.
• This specific travel bag is famously known as the direct inspiration for the legendary Hermès Birkin bag, one of the most coveted accessories in the world.
• The bag will be the lead item at Christie’s “Handbags & Accessories” live sale in Paris on November 6.
• Jane Birkin previously donated the bag in 2019 to support the international humanitarian organization Médecins du Monde.

A Piece of Fashion History Up for Grabs

The Hermès bag that started a global phenomenon is set to go under the hammer this fall. Christie’s has announced that the Haut à Courroies (HAC) 50, a travel bag frequently photographed with Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg during their jet-setting romance, will lead its upcoming “Handbags & Accessories” sale in Paris. This isn’t just any luxury accessory; it’s the very bag that served as the muse for the iconic Birkin bag.

The Birth of a Legend

The story of the Birkin bag is fashion folklore. It began with a chance encounter on a flight in the early 1980s between Jane Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas, then the artistic director and CEO of Hermès. Birkin, who was using her signature wicker basket at the time, lamented her struggle to find a leather bag that was both elegant and practical enough for her needs.

She was already familiar with the spacious HAC through Gainsbourg, and her conversation with Dumas sparked the design for a new, modified version tailored to her lifestyle. While the modern Birkin bag has been slightly altered over the years—scaled down from 40 cm to 35 cm and losing the shoulder strap—its core design DNA comes directly from the HAC 50 now up for auction.

From Equestrian Roots to Iconic Status

According to Christie’s, the HAC was first introduced by Hermès in 1892, originally designed with a practical purpose: to carry riding boots and saddles. Its sturdy design, featuring two handles and distinctive belt-like straps, was later adapted for the modern traveler. This particular HAC 50 retains its classic features, including the original saddle stitching and a clochette with keys, carrying with it the history of its famous former owners.

Auction Details and Charitable Heart

Before the main event in Paris, the historic bag will embark on a world tour, with stops for public viewing in Hong Kong and Bangkok. The auction will take place on November 6. Adding to its incredible provenance, Jane Birkin donated the bag in 2019 to raise funds for Médecins du Monde (Doctors of the World), cementing its legacy not just in fashion, but also in philanthropy.