In 1984, in an AirFrance flight from Paris to London actress Jane Birkin, found herself seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, Executive Chairman of Hermès (1978-2006). After spilling the contents of her bag on the plane floor, Birkin who had given birth to her youngest Lou in 1982 complained that she ...

Birkin then sketched a bag on a sick bag – drawing inspiration from both the 1982 Kelly which she used briefly and her partner Serge Gainsbourg’s suitcase. What came out was a supple and spacious rectangular holdall with a burnished flap and saddle stitching. With a dedicated space for baby bottl...

Hermes started out as a Paris saddlery established in 1837 by Thierry Hermès. Émile-Maurice, Thierry's grandson and Hermès’s then head of firm changed Hermes's specialty and the course of its history when he added luggage to Hermes's repertoire in 1920 and unveiled Hermes's 1st handbag in 1922.In...

The Kelly bag comes in 2 styles: 1)Kelly Sellier and 2)Kelly Retourne. The differences are in the stitching and the edges:the Sellier has visible stitching and a pointy edge, while the Kelly Retourne's stiching is not visible and its edges are soft. A Sellier is more structured and rigid due to t...

Hermes is known for not using assembly lines. Only 1 craftsperson may work on a handbag at a time, hand-stitching each individual piece. Due to the (1) labor-intensive nature of Hermès production methods and (2)the use of rare materials which includes professionally treated and dyed

“The Hermès Bag is the best example of a heritage piece as it contains an emotional value, and this is why it is so loved,” says Sophie Hersan, co-founder of Vestiaire Collective. “These bags are treated with ...

To make Hermes bags, like the Kelly Bag for example,

• A craftsman will work with skins already laid out in perfect symmetry.
• The lining is constructed w/ goat skins which is the first part of the bag to be sewn.From there the base of the handbag is created as th...

Sandpaper is used to smooth the layers of the stitched leather and then dyed to match the handbag.

Hot wax is then applied to protect the handle from moisture.

“The process of buying an Hermès Birkin bag on the primary market is shrouded in mystery to keep the allure of exclusivity,” says Charles Gorra, founder,CEO of luxury resale site Rebag.

The boutiques are there so you can put your name on a waiting list for the bag, but there’s no guarantee ...

1. The Hermès Birkin: Timeless and Most Coveted

The 4 most popular sizes:

Birkin 25, 30, 35, and 40 (original size).

2. The Hermès Kelly: Sophisticated Classic

Types: Kell...

4. The Hermès Picotin: Equestrian Inspired Bucket Bag

- Picotin: French word for the measure of feed given to a horse

- design inspired by horse feed bags

5. The Hermès Evelyne:...

6. The Hermès Garden Party: An accessible yet versatile tote

- comes in leather or canvas w/ leather accents for a beachy, casual feel

Clou de selle snap closures on either s...

8. The Hermès Bolide: Travel in Style

- intended for top drivers and world travelers as its trapezoidal shape can easily fit into sports cars/luggage. 

- Emile-Maurice Hermès came up ...

9. The Hermès Jypsière: Crossroads of Sporty and Glamorous

- Introduced in 2008 by Creative Director Jean Paul Gaultier

- mix of Hunting bag and Birkin

- Sizes:Jypsiere 28, 31, 34, and 37.

10. The Hermès Herbag: Approachable Bag for Everyone

- largely canvas construc...