Portrait of Shinsuke Sakimoto, representative director and president of Valuence Circular Design Company at Tokyo Office. (Sakimoto wears Hermès vintage watch)  He won the record-breaking auction for Jane Birkin’s Birkin bag. Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Winning bidder of $10M Birkin bag wanted to inflict 'psychological damage' on opponents

Birkin bags can go for hundreds of thousands of dollars and, even if you’re rich, it’s near impossible to get one. In July, the original Birkin bag by Hermès went for an eye-watering $10 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris. CNN spoke to its new owner, Japanese collector Shinsuke Sakimoto, to find out how and why he made his winning bid.

2:00 • Source: CNN
CNN Style 16 videos
Portrait of Shinsuke Sakimoto, representative director and president of Valuence Circular Design Company at Tokyo Office. (Sakimoto wears Hermès vintage watch)  He won the record-breaking auction for Jane Birkin’s Birkin bag. Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Winning bidder of $10M Birkin bag wanted to inflict 'psychological damage' on opponents
2:00
Now playing
• Source: CNN
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31:  A view of the ball dropping during New Year's Eve 2017 in Times Square at Times Square on December 31, 2016 in New York City.  (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
The Times Square ball drop has been a New York tradition for over 100 years
1:31
Now playing
• Source: CNN
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Image contains partial nudity.) Sydney Sweeney attends Variety's 2025 Power of Women at The Beverly Hills Hotel on October 29, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images)
See why 2025 was the year of the naked dress
2:03
Now playing
• Source: CNN
NO OTHER CHOICE_BTS_02_Courtesy of NEON.jpg
Legendary filmmaker Park Chan-wook talks tackling corporate cruelty in 'No Other Choice'
7:01
Now playing
• Source: CNN
115622_Miami Wrestling_V5.00_03_02_15.Still004.jpg
See how an explosive wrestling league brings Japanese girl gangs into the ring
3:03
Now playing
• Source: CNN
114662_Thumb3_Swatches.jpg
Would you dip your wedding dress in dye?
3:11
Now playing
• Source: CNN
Robots in the likeness of Andy Warhol, left, and Elon Musk, right, are displayed at the installation titled Regular Animals by the artist Beeple at Art Basel Miami Beach, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
See robotic dogs with human heads causing a scene at Miami art fair
2:14
Now playing
• Source: CNN
115549_FabergeEgg_HD.00_00_02_17.Still001.jpg
A Fabergé egg sold for a record $30.2 million
0:54
Now playing
• Source: CNN
Rosa Parks' house in an abandoned state.
How art has saved Rosa Parks' home
3:38
Now playing
• Source: CNN
115353_MISS_UNIVERSE_DRAMAS_clean.00_00_06_02.Still001.jpg
Miss Universe crowned after chaotic pageant
0:44
Now playing
• Source: CNN
115300_KlimtPaintingSaleRecord 16x9 Clean Thumb.jpg
In major auction night, rare painting smashes records at $236.4 million
1:11
Now playing
• Source: CNN
115246_MetTheme_CLEAN_02.00_00_00_00.Still002.jpg
Met Museum unveils 2026 Met Gala theme
1:10
Now playing
• Source: CNN
Thumb3.jpg
How Humberto Leon helped turn Katseye into one of the biggest girl bands of the year
2:59
Now playing
• Source: CNN
<p>CNN's Saskya Vandoorne speaks to an unexpected fashion icon -- the French teenager who became an internet sensation when he was caught on camera looking dapper close to police following the heist at the Louvre in Paris.</p>
CNN tracks down French teenager in viral photo
1:39
Now playing
• Source: CNN
Robert Wun resurface PHOTO 1.jpg
Burned and stained, these clothes cost up to $200k
3:57
Now playing
• Source: CNN
ms rachel 16x9 1.jpg
Ms. Rachel wears dress with children’s artwork from Gaza
0:41
Now playing
• Source: CNN