Birkin used the original handbag for ten years before donating it to charity to support AIDS research in 1994. Known for its unique signatures, including her initials and marks from stickers she used to support various causes, the bag is not only a luxury item but a part of fashion history. The winning bid, which included fees, dwarfed the previous record of $513,000 for a handbag, reiterating the lasting legacy of the Birkin.

Sotheby's described the purchase as a “startling demonstration” of the value placed on unique items with significant provenance. Since its commercial launch, the Birkin bag has grown into a global fashion icon, with prices for some models extending into the tens of thousands and years-long waiting lists.