From Birkin to Beyond

The world of luxury handbags takes center stage this month as Sotheby’s launches Carry Me, its first-ever handbag festival, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).

The announcement comes just weeks after a history-making sale at Sotheby’s Paris, where Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag sold for €8.6 million ($10.1 million). The record-breaking sale not only set a new global benchmark for handbags at auction — nearly twenty times the previous record — but also spotlighted the rise of the “ultra handbag”: rare, superior creations that blend artistry, exclusivity, and cultural significance.

Carry Me will debut on 25 September at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. Designed as a one-day immersive experience, the festival will celebrate the craftsmanship, stories, and community behind these extraordinary handbags.

Highlights include:

Bags Unpacked – The It-Bag Through Time: exploring iconic handbags and the cultural moments that made them unforgettable. Includes contribution from special guest fashion experts.

Table Talks with Sotheby’s Specialists: intimate conversations, where collecting meets storytelling.

Masterclass Rotations: The Collector’s Craft: hands-on workshops with masters of the art.

Insights & Trends Public Talk (5 PM): stories from Sotheby’s specialists on the world of vintage and modern luxury handbags.

The event will be led by Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, alongside international experts and guest fashion commentators. Future editions are already planned for global luxury hubs including St. Moritz and Palm Beach.

Carry Me is a ticketed event with limited availability.

Apply for admission tickets here Sothebys.com/carryme  

“Ultra handbags have long been an ‘in-the-know’ trend,” Halimi explains. “The sale of the Original Birkin has opened this world to a wider audience. With Carry Me, we’re creating a joyful, expertise-led experience for the global community of handbag lovers.”