The mystery buyer who snapped up Jane Birkin’s prototype Hermès Birkin for a hammer price of €7 million ( €8.6 million with premiums) at Sotheby’s Paris on 10 July has been unmasked: Valuence Japan Inc., the luxury-recommerce arm of Tokyo-listed Valuence Group, led by former J-League footballer-turned-entrepreneur Shinsuke Sakimoto.
A record-setting auction
Nine bidders battled for ten intense minutes before Valuence clinched the “Original Birkin,” the black-box-calf prototype Hermès created for actress Jane Birkin in the mid-1980s. Sotheby’s confirmed the sale set a new world record for any handbag at auction, eclipsing the previous high of €513,000.
Why this bag matters
Unlike modern Birkins, the prototype features a fixed shoulder strap, gilded-brass hardware and Birkin’s engraved initials. Worn daily for nearly a decade, the bag is considered a cultural artefact — the genesis of a design that now symbolises modern luxury.
„As a Circular Design Company, the Valuence Group is committed to creating value cycles—connecting valuable luxury goods such as watches, jewelry, bags, and apparel from those who no longer need them to those who do. Through our reuse business, we strive to create a sustainable future for both people and the planet,” the company said in a statement.
The winning bidder: Valuence Japan
Valuence Japan specialises in buying, authenticating and reselling high-value watches, jewellery and handbags through retail concepts such as Nanboya and ALLU. The parent Valuence Holdings reported FY 2024 revenue of ¥81.5 billion (€470 million), reflecting its rapid expansion across Asia, Europe and North America.
“This acquisition was not intended for resale. Rather, it reflects our mission to preserve global cultural heritage and make it accessible to the public. We believe it is a socially impactful initiative, aligning with our values of sustainability and cultural stewardship. The item will be carefully preserved and displayed by the company to embody these commitments,” the company said in a statement.
Meet CEO Shinsuke Sakimoto
Shinsuke Sakimoto—born in Osaka in 1982, Sakimoto is a former J-League footballer who played professionally for Gamba Osaka. He studied at Kansai University’s Senriyama Campus. After that, he founded the luxury-buying office Nanboya in 2007 and took his reuse business public in 2018.
Today, he heads a group of more than 1,000 employees whose mission is “Circular Design for the Earth and Us,” turning that ethos into a ¥81.5 billion (€470 million) powerhouse. Valuence Japan, part of the publicly traded Valuence Group, operates the luxury-recommerce chains Nanboya and ALLU across Asia, Europe, and North America.
What happens next?
Valuence will transport the Birkin to Tokyo for a press unveiling, followed by a travelling exhibition that underscores the firm’s pitch: luxury can—and should—circulate responsibly in a global reuse loop. Exhibition dates are expected later this month.
