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The Hermès Kelly Guide: A Style and Sizing Guide

The Hermès Kelly Guide: A Style and Sizing Guide
Hermès is a French luxury design house founded in 1837. Its couture collections have set the bar for high-end glamor for over a century, surpassing some of the most notable pillars in the fashion world including Chanel and Christian Dior. If you’re familiar with the fashion world, you may have heard of the brand’s elusive Birkin Bag collection, a handbag line that only the selected few in our world can even set appointments to purchase. Hermès handbags like the Birkin are the dream investments for many collectors. In the high-fashion world, the Birkin Bag is only second to its predecessor the Hermès Kelly Bag.

The Kelly bag was first introduced as the Sac à Dépêches by the designer Robert Dumas in 1935 as a handbag for traveling women seeking luxury accessories. This design was re-christened as the Kelly Bag due to its use by Grace Kelly. The princess of Monaco chose to utilize the Sac à Dépêches to cover her pregnancy from the paparazzi in her earlier years. As a world-renowned Hollywood starlet and idol, Grace Kelly helped to elevate this accessory to the recognition it currently holds.

Types Of Hermès Kelly Handbags

Hermès Kelly bags generally come in one of two overarching styles. The Sellier style, the original shape of the Kelly bag popularized in the 1950s, has a more sharply crafted frame due to its visible topside stitching. The Sellier’s strong architecture is an undeniably beautiful feat of craftsmanship for buyers seeking a structure that can truly last through time. The Retourne design is the Sellier’s more slouchy and comfortable cousin. The Retourne’s inside stitching creates a rounded edge and puffier seam, a direct contrast to the Sellier’s clean-cut edging.

Leather Options

There are a few main types of leather used for the creation of Kelly bags. Clemence, Epsom, Togo, and Chevre leather have all been utilized in a variety of colors and finishes throughout Hermès’ collection. Clemence leather is a natural grained leather made of buffalo or calf hide. Clemence is a rather durable leather that is generally scratch-resistant, making it a popular option for individuals in need of a more durable accessory. Epsom leather is similar in its creation from calf hide. Its main difference comes from its embossed grain finish, giving the leather slightly more texture than its predecessor. Togo is one of the most popular leathers chosen for Kelly bags as it is durable, lightweight, scratch-resistant, and holds its shape quite well. Rounding out these popular materials, Chevre leather is another great option for bags that you may expect to experience more wear and tear. This goatskin material functions well when interacting with water and can handle a good amount of scratching and rubbing while maintaining its shape.

Exotic Materials

For collectors looking for more exotic pieces, Kelly bags also come in a variety of less common materials like crocodile or ostrich skin. Crocodile skin is a more expensive material based on its smaller sourcing pool. It is a more fragile leather and can show signs of wear more quickly than its calf-skin cousins. Crocodile leather however can create a gorgeous textured look when expertly crafted. This Hermès Unisex Crocodile 2WAY Kelly Bag is just one example of the variety of finishes and colors that the material can adopt.

Ostrich skin is on the lower end of the luxury price range when it comes to exotic leathers. This material is identifiable by its peaked follicles where feathers would otherwise have surfaced. Even when it is adopted into color, the hyde retains a certain amount of dual-toned texture, creating the appearance of a higher textured fabric. This hide is durable, soft, and relatively resistant to scratches. Its natural oils and porous finish help it withstand much of the aging damage other leathers often experience. Ostrich skin bags like this Hermès Ostrich 2WAY Kelly Bag are one-of-a-kind pieces sure to make a stir in any room they light up.Hermès handbags crafted with these exotic hides are not as openly available to the public based on their scarcity and higher price point. You are much more likely to have the option to purchase one of these luxury pieces in an in-store consultation if you are already a well-established Hermès client or VIP.

High-Quality Hardware

Traditionally, an Hermès Kelly bag comes with a clasp, an attached lock, and looped metallic handle connectors. Clients generally have the option to choose between gold-plated or Palladium-plated hardware finishes for their purchase, opening up the options for different potential design combinations. Kelly bags are also unique from their Birkin relatives due to their optional shoulder strap attachments. This allows more hand-free carrying use than you may have with be Birkin.

Kelly Bag Sizing

Outside of limited edition styles, there are eight main sizes of Kelly bags currently offered by Hermès. Ranging from smallest to largest, these styles include Kelly 15, Kelly 20, Kelly 25, Kelly 28, Kelly 32, Kelly 35, Kelly 40, and Kelly 50. The most popular sizes here are generally the Kelly 28 and 32, as they can hold enough for everyday wear and travel without added bulk. Mini Kelly bags can range as small as 15 centimeters in length and can be a beautiful collector’s piece for individuals seeking more of a statement piece than a travel accessory. Mini bags like the Kelly Mini II Sellier chevre bag may not hold much but can be great additions for a red carpet or glamourous night out.

Colors to Watch out For This Season

There is no specified number of color options that Kelly bags can be crafted with. With each new season, Hermès offers new or vintage shades that can come in an array of finishes and textures, making the design options for your collection almost endless. When investing in your collector’s piece, consider whether you would find more value in bright and seasonal shades or more neutral classical colors. This decision could define both the use and value of your purchase down the line but remember, it’s rarely set in stone what shades or combinations will hold or rise in desirability throughout the coming years. Some of the most notable colors you can explore within the Hermès Spring/Summer 2022 collection include Bleu Royal or Aqua in the blue range, Vert Vertigo and Juane Citron in the green and yellow range, and rose extreme or Bordeaux in the red range. If you are more interested in a more complex or patterned print, Hermès Paisley Kelly Bag or Hermès Two-Toned Kelly Handbag are two perfect examples of unique ways the brand has diversified its tone and design options.

Limited Edition Kelly Bag Designs

Since its inception, the Kelly Handbag has seen many limited edition silhouettes, colors, and designer collaborations. These truly unique luxury accessories are often priced at a much higher point when buying first or second hand based on their rarity, age, and condition. There are two limited-edition lines in particular that showcase the history and creativity of the brand is renowned.

Osier Wicker Basket Handbag

The 2019 Osier Wicker Picnic Basket Kelly Handbag is a unique take on the traditional Kelly design. Its woven body and linen white leather detailing evokes the feeling of warm weather and summertime sandy escapes. The wicker detailing handcrafted from willow reeds allows the handbag more durability than a traditional leather casing. Osier Wicker bags maintain the classic Kelly shape without the danger or scratches you may experience from other accessory lines. This piece is a beautiful addition for collectors who are seeking a less traditional version of the Kelly bag that still upholds the beauty and craftsmanship expected from the Hermès name.

Hermès Kelly Doll Handbag

The Hermès Kelly Doll collection was conceptualized in 2000 by Jean Dumas, the Executive Chairman of Hermès. This whimsical set of handbags is crafted with hand-sewn arms, feet, and face appliques, adding childlike imagination to each item in the collection. These playful additions are paired with palladium hardware, perfectly offsetting the handbag’s multi-colored casing. Hermès Kelly Doll Bags are imaginative pieces unlike any other line from the house, adding a refreshing and unique boost to their aesthetic value.

Explore Hermès Kelly Bags on Buyma

Hermès is defined by many as the top-tier luxury designer brand of the century. The expert craftsmanship put into Hermès designs including the Birkin and Kelly handbag lines has truly set the bar for other fashion houses in the marketplace.

Buyma is a luxury reseller of luxury and high-end designer goods from fashion houses including Hermès, Chanel, and Christian Dior. Shopping with Buyma is one sure way to guarantee you find the best possible price point for all of your favorite vintage and modern fashion items. Their multi-step authentication service and a zero-tolerance policy for inauthentic goods ensure the safety of both your wallet and your future purchases.Take the first step towards discovering your dream collector’s piece and Explore Buyma’s wide range of authentic Hermès Kelly Handbags today.

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