Ultimate Bag Guide: Hermès Kelly

A cult classic that has retained its iconicity throughout the decades is the Hermès Kelly. So, if you’re looking to enhance or complete your designer handbag collection, this is one not to be missed.

And to ensure you have everything you need to confidently invest in your Hermès Kelly, The Handbag Clinic have gathered all the facts and style secrets.

HISTORY

Many believe the Kelly was designed for Grace Kelly, but this is false.

The history of the Hermès Kelly has done the rounds on the internet, however our experts have dived deep into the fashion houses archives to discover the ultimate style secrets.

The strong trapeze shape of the Kelly was created in 1928 by Robert Dumas when he designed the Sac à Dépêches (mirroring the structure that we all associate with the Kelly), to host important papers and files. The birth of the Sac à Dépêches signified the birth of the first true handbag.

Previously it adorned the arms of poignant men such as John F. Kennedy and the Duke of Windsor but Grace Kelly played a significant role in elevating the bag to its cult status. Pictured with it in 1955 to hide her blossoming pregnancy bump (following her marriage to the Prince of Monaco), Hermès were flooded with queries for the ‘Kelly bag’ in their boutiques, but it took 22 years for the brand to rename the bag after her. To celebrate this, they released the IT bag in feminine colourways; instead of just black.

DIFFERENT STYLES

Each Kelly bag is crafted from 36 pieces of leather and secured by precisely 680 saddle stitches.

From its origins as the Sac à Dépêches, the Kelly range has broadened to include a variety of sizes, accessories and colourways. The bag is now valued as a wearable piece of functional art.

SIZES

The Kelly is available as a purse, pochette, handbag and even keyring.

The handbag comes in 8 sizes:

• Hermès Kelly 15
• Hermès Kelly 20
• Hermès Kelly 25
• Hermès Kelly 28
• Hermès Kelly 32
• Hermès Kelly 35
• Hermès Kelly 40
• Hermès Kelly 50

All of these sizes (including the minis) host an accompanying strap to allow the bag to be worn multiple ways, whereas the pochette only hosts the top handle.

The smaller the size of the Kelly, the higher it’s desirability and the harder it is to secure in the brands boutiques and even resale platforms - which truly means fastest finger first for our weekly New Arrivals.

MATERIALS

Like all Hermès styles, the Kelly comes in an array of leathers and textures to suit all tastes.

The original leather for the Kelly is the calfbox, which first appeared on the Retourne style. Calfbox is a heritage leather that hosts a smooth finish but means it’s prone to scratches and showing signs of wear due to its supple nature.

Thanks to its scratch resistance, Togo leather retains its title as the favoured texture for Hermès Kelly bags. This material wasn’t featured by the fashion house until 1997 and signifies the origins of the Togolese Republic in Africa; the source of the leather where each hide undergoes a natural drumming process to enhance the leather’s natural features and achieve a round and irregular grain that appears slightly wrinkled.

Hermès Kelly’s crafted from exotic leathers are highly-coveted in the world of luxury handbags. Crocodile, alligator, lizard and ostrich are available in glossy or matte finishes.

When it comes to colourways of the exotic styles, there are variations and occasionally limitations for what styles can be created. Due to the super porous nature of lizard leather, it can be dyed any colour as it absorbs the colourant easier than alligator leather does.

HARDWARE

The classic Hermès Kelly hardware comes in two options: gold-plated or palladium plated. Both elevate the overall aesthetic of the style and some rare Kelly’s even host 24k gold hardware.

Modern twists on this classic include PVC, guilloche, rose-gold and even diamond encrusted hardware.

CELEBRITY FANS

You’ll struggle to find a celebrity that isn’t a fan of the iconic Hermès Kelly.

From the glitz and glamour of old school Hollywood to the coveted high fashion influencers, this style retains its cult classic status.

The Kardashians, Leonie Hanne and British Socialite Tamara Ecclestone are all avid enthusiasts of this style.

Ready to find your Kelly? Discover our curated collection of rare, preloved Hermès Kelly bags today.

Have a Hermès Kelly to sell? Earn up to 80% of the resale price with The Handbag Clinic. It’s quick and easy. Get a free quote now.