After setting a record with the sale of the original Birkin bag in Paris for more than $10 million, Sotheby's is to bring another bag that belonged to actress Jane Birkin to the auction block in December – this time in Abu Dhabi.
The one-off Le Birkin Voyageur bag will be part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week auction at St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort from December 2 to 5. The event is being held in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).
The bag is from the actress and singer's personal collection of Hermes Birkin bags.
Now world-famous, the Birkin was designed for the British celebrity after a chance encounter with Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes, on a plane. In response to her frustration at being unable to find a bag that suited her needs, Dumas created and gave her the Birkin, and named it after her.
Since that meeting in 1984, the Birkin has become the most sought-after bag in the world. The actress sold the original Birkin in 1994 to raise money for charity. This July, Sotheby's Paris resold it for a record $10.1 million (Dh37,092,250), making it the most expensive handbag sold at auction.
Le Birkin Voyageur going for auction is one of only five Birkin bags owned by the actress, each a gift from Hermes.
This particular piece takes its name from the inscription written inside by the actress. Sotherbys said the bag shows wear from regular use, reflecting its status as an everyday item the actress carried from 2003 to 2007.
The Voyageur is classic black box leather, in size 40cm, and the inscription is in white-on-black lettering. It reads: “Mon Birkin bag qui m'a accompagné dans le monde entier”, translating as: “My Birkin bag, my globetrotting companion”.
After receiving it from Hermes in 2003, Birkin sold the Voyageur at auction in 2007 to raise money for the Human Rights Association. It has been in private hands since then.
Sotheby's has listed the Voyageur Birkin with an estimate of $240,000 to $440,000 (up to Dh1.6 million).
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, noted the significance of “presenting not one, but two of Jane Birkin’s personal Hermes bags in a single year”.
“Following the record-breaking sale of the original Birkin prototype in July, this exceptionally rare example offers collectors an intimate connection to the woman at the origin of the world’s most iconic handbag.
"This is not just a piece of fashion history, but a deeply personal artefact from a cultural and style icon whose legacy continues to inspire.”
The inaugural Abu Dhabi auction in December is expected to be a grand affair, with a number of high-profile items already on the bidding list. These include rare supercars, such as the 2010 Aston Martin One-77, one of only 77 ever built, and a 2017 Pagani Zonda 760 Riviera; a rare Rolex Oyster Albino Daytona ref 6263; and Desert Rose, the largest fancy vivid orangey-pink diamond ever graded.
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
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Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
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The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
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Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
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In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
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Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
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Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
2/5
