JAKARTA - After becoming a topic of conversation in the fashion world, the identity of the person behind the purchase of the first Hermès Birkin bag, auctioned off for a staggering price of over US$10.1 million (IDR 165 billion), has finally been revealed.
He is Shinsuke Sakimoto, a Japanese businessman operating in the pre-owned luxury goods business, Valuence Holdings. He is the man behind the purchase of the first Birkin in Hermès history, which sold at auction last month.
This was no ordinary Birkin; this iconic red bag was made in 1984 specifically for actress and Parisian fashion icon Jane Birkin. Shinsuke Sakimoto immediately set a record for the most expensive bag ever sold.
"This is the most expensive purchase I've ever made. It makes me sick," Shinsuke said, as quoted by the New York Post.
The auction officially closed at 7 million euros (IDR 114 billion). However, after adding auction fees and taxes, Sakimoto's total payment reached over US$10.1 million.
The 43-year-old watched the auction from his company's Tokyo office and used his competitive instincts as a former professional soccer player to win the battle.
"We were almost at our limit. But within minutes, we developed a strategy to put psychological pressure on our opponents to make them give up. We had to respond within three to five seconds. I had to be aggressive," he explained.
Although the price of the bag made his head spin, Sakimoto insisted the purchase was not simply a matter of self-indulgence.
"It's certain that the winning bid will break the world record, which means it will be widely reported. So this is a strategic investment, not a waste of money," he explained.
He purchased the bag on behalf of Valuence Holdings. He believes the global media attention the auction will generate will be worth several billion yen in publicity, which he considers well worth the money and perhaps enough to alleviate his nausea.
Unlike other luxury collections, which are usually locked away in a safe or immediately resold, Sakimoto plans to display this legendary Birkin bag for the public.
"The goal of purchasing this artwork is not to make it the private property of a wealthy person, but to create a new ownership model that allows companies like ours to share it with the public," said Sakimoto.
"We want to preserve this piece for the future and share it with everyone," he added.
In addition to the auction price, additional costs such as international shipping and import duties are estimated to add another US$2 million (IDR 32 billion) to the total expenditure.
Sakimoto also revealed that Jane Birkin's philanthropic legacy, which inspired the bag's name, made him feel personally connected to the social mission behind the bag.
"I feel a strong connection to individuals like Jane Birkin, and their role as ambassadors or disseminators of value is very much in line with our company's business philosophy," he said.
Prior to this purchase, the record for the most expensive bag ever sold at auction was held by the Himalaya Crocodile Birkin, which sold for around US$450,000 (IDR 7.3 billion) in 2022, far below the price of this first Birkin.
The Birkin bag itself was born from a chance meeting between French-British singer Jane Birkin and Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight.
At the time, Birkin was carrying a wicker basket as a bag. Dumas then suggested he had a better bag. Dumas then drew the Birkin design on an airplane vomit bag.
A few months later, the first prototype was completed, and from that moment on, a luxury bag legend known throughout the world was born.
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