Sketched out on an air sickness bag, it became fashion’s must-have accessory.The original Birkin bag, named after the actor, singer and fashion icon that Hermès created it for — the late Jane Birkin — is up for auction in Paris on Thursday.

Hermès Birkin bags are the most coveted—and valuable—purses in the world. Few accessories have held such a firm grip on pop culture and fashion. As the Sex and the City character Samantha Jones said in an episode with an entire subplot dedicated to her mission to procure one: “It’s not a bag, it’s a Birkin.”