Claire Marie joined Sotheby’s in 2023 as a Luxury Handbag and Accessories Specialist to launch the department in Dubai. She advises clients on both acquisitions and consignments, sourcing rare and exceptional pieces and managing collections within the rapidly expanding auction and private sales markets in the Middle East and internationally.
With 20 years of experience in the luxury leather goods industry, Claire began her career as an Artisan Saddler at Hermès in Paris. She later relocated to London, where she led the Leather After-Sales Service department at Hermès’ New Bond Street flagship. During her 10-year tenure with Hermès London, she built an international client base and spearheaded a series of educational workshops in collaboration with leading cultural institutions, including the Royal Academy of Arts, the Saatchi Gallery, and the V&A Museum.
After returning to France, Claire led training initiatives for two major luxury leather goods brands and established a manufacturing school. She then moved to Dubai to serve as a Leather Care Specialist for Louis Vuitton before joining Sotheby’s.
Among her notable achievements is the sale of the most valuable handbag ever auctioned in the Gulf region: a White Matte Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin 25 with 18K white gold and diamond hardware, crafted by Hermès in 2021. Sold during Sotheby’s inaugural ORIGINS auction in Saudi Arabia in February, it achieved a remarkable $336,000 a result that highlights the region’s growing demand for rare and pristine luxury handbags.
A native French speaker fluent in English, Claire holds a Diplôme des Métiers d’Art in Contemporary Bookbinding x Book History from the École Supérieure Estienne des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers du Livre in Paris, as well as a certificate in Corporate Management Training.
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