Who spends $10.1 million on an old handbag?
Japanese resale mogul Shinsuke Sakimoto, that’s who. The now-revealed mystery buyer placed his winning bid from halfway around the world on the original Hermès Birkin last month — making the coveted fashion artifact the priciest purse in history.
And yes, he’s still recovering from the experience.
“It was the most expensive purchase I’ve ever made for a single item,” the Valuence Holdings CEO admitted, as reported by CNN. “It was very exciting, but it really made me sick to my stomach.”
Sakimoto snapped up the 1984 prototype bag, designed for British “it girl” Jane Birkin — actress, singer, model and icon of effortless Parisian style.
The top-quality tote was sold last month at Sotheby’s Paris in a nine-way bidding war that sent prices sky-high.
The final gavel dropped at 7 million euros. Add in fees, and Sakimoto shelled out over $10 million for the black leather beauty.
Sakimoto, 43, watched the drama unfold via phone from his Tokyo office, channeling his past life as a pro soccer player into auction aggression.
“We were almost at the upper limit, but in those few minutes we were strategizing how to inflict psychological damage on our opponents and force them to give up,” he said. “Hit back in three or five seconds. I had to be aggressive.”
In true sports fashion, he’d even dreamt of the win — twice — the night before.
Of course, the luxury-loving gods weren’t footing the bill. Sakimoto says the purchase — made under his company, not personally — was a strategic investment, not a sentimental splurge.
“It was certain that the winning bid would break the record, which meant it would be reported all over the world,” he explained.
Valuence expects the media blitz to generate “several billion yen” in advertising value — possibly enough to justify the stomachache.
But don’t expect this Birkin to land in someone’s closet. Sakimoto insists it’s not for resale.
In fact, it’s likely to cost even more thanks to shipping and import duties, which are expected to add another $2 million to the final tab.
Instead, he plans to share the prized purse with the world, keeping it on public display — not tucked in a vault.
“The purpose of winning this artwork is not to make it the personal property of the wealthy, but to create a new ownership model — for companies like ours and society to share, together,” Sakimoto said. “We want to preserve it in the future and share it with everyone.”
He added that learning about Jane Birkin’s philanthrophic legacy helped him feel connected to her mission.
“I felt that I have a very strong connection with these people [like Jane Birkin], and their role as ambassadors or evangelists, that really match our company’s business philosophy.”
Hey, for $10 million, it better match.
As previously reported by The Post, before this record-breaking OG Birkin snagged the spotlight, the priciest purse ever sold at auction was a Himalaya Crocodile Birkin — which fetched a jaw-dropping $450,000, back in 2022.
Jane Birkin, who passed away in 2023, was widely revered for her chic ensembles, and she was known to carry her belongings in a woven basket — whether on the red carpet or while running errands.
The first Birkin was born after the “Je t’aime… moi non plus” crooner met Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight.
Spotting her straw basket, he suggested she needed a “better bag” — then sketched the now-iconic design on an airplane barf bag.
Months later, the prototype was ready — launching a luxury legend.
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