Hermes Kelly Depeche Black Pochette Epsom 25 Palladium
View Similar Items
Hermes Kelly Depeche Black Pochette Epsom 25 Palladium
About the Item
Kelly Bag
In 1837, Thierry Hermès (1801–78) founded his eponymous luxury goods company in Paris as a saddle manufacturer, serving the era’s carriage trade. In 1880, under the stewardship of Thierry's son Émile-Charles, fine riding gear was added to its offerings to complement the saddles. Hermès eventually expanded their workshops to design handbags in the years that followed. The Kelly bag, originally introduced as the Sac à dépêches (“the dispatch bag”) in 1935, was created by Robert Dumas, son-in-law to Thierry's grandson Émile-Maurice Hermès.
Designed for independent women who wanted a piece that was both luxurious and efficient, the Kelly bag has a trapezoid shape, two triangular gussets, a sculpted flap and a handle.
To this day, the understated bag comprises 36 individual leather pieces, 16 studs and a signature padlock and leather key cover, with three layers of leather at the base to ensure the bag can stand upright. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
The Kelly bag earned its name during preproduction on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film, To Catch a Thief. Costume designer Edith Head sourced products from Hermès to outfit actress Grace Kelly, who fell in love with the Sac à Dépêches and continued to carry it long after the movie wrapped.
Months after marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, Kelly was spotted carrying a brown pigskin Sac to shield her pregnancy from the paparazzi. And while the oft-repeated claim that Kelly and her bag appeared on a Life magazine cover isn’t true, photography of the actress and her cherished accessory began to appear everywhere at the time, and the bag’s profile suddenly skyrocketed.
In 1977 Hermès officially changed the item’s name to the Kelly bag. Less than a decade later, Hermès introduced another top-handled bag to its line, also named after a style symbol, the Birkin bag.
The Paris-based British actress Jane Birkin sat next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas — Robert's son — on an Air France flight. He noticed her overflowing handbag, and she told him she longed for “a handbag that is bigger than the Kelly but smaller than Serge’s suitcase,” in reference to her then-romantic partner, the French musician Serge Gainsbourg. The Birkin bag was created in 1984, joining the Kelly in Hermès’ permanent collection.
Hermès
For Hermès, what began as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen would eventually grow into one of the most storied fashion labels in the world. In 1837, German-born French entrepreneur Thierry Hermès opened a saddle and harness purveyor in Paris. Gradually, the house extended into accessories and luggage for its riders, and today, in paying homage to its origins, the family-run luxury brand resurfaces horse motifs in everything from clothing and modernist jewelry to pillows and handbags.
The first top-handled bag ever produced by Hermès was the Haut à courroies, which made its debut in 1892. A tall bag secured with a folded leather flap (fastened with bridle-inspired straps), it was designed to transport riding boots and a harness.
As the world made the switch from horse to automobile, the bag adapted, becoming a multifunctional travel satchel instead of a designated saddlebag. Today, 120 years later, the HAC remains in Hermès’s line — and its distinctive flap and clasping straps have laid the groundwork for some of the house’s other iconic bags.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas (son-in-law to Émile-Maurice Hermès, Thierry’s grandson) designed a smaller, trapezoidal take on the flap bag with a handle and two side straps. Later, actress Grace Kelly, then engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, is said to have used one of these bags to conceal her pregnancy during the 1950s. Because she was photographed constantly, the coverage catapulted her handbag to international popularity.
In 1977, Hermès officially renamed the model for her, and the Kelly bag was born. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
Robert Dumas was also responsible for another one of the brand’s most iconic offerings: the launch of its first silk scarf on the occasion of Hermès’s 100th anniversary in 1937. Based on a woodblock designed by Dumas and printed on Chinese silk, the accessory was an immediate hit.
Today, vintage Hermès scarves, typically adorned in rich colors and elaborate patterns, serve many functions, just as they did back then. Well-heeled women wear it on their heads, around their necks and, in a genius piece of cross-promotion, tied to the straps of their Hermès bags. Kelly even once used one as a sling for her broken arm.
In 1981, Robert Dumas’s son Jean-Louis Dumas, then Hermès chairman, found himself sitting next to French actress and musician Jane Birkin on a plane, where she was complaining about finding a suitable carryall for the necessary accoutrements of motherhood. After the two travelers were properly introduced, Birkin helped design Jean-Louis’s most famous contribution to the Hermès canon: the Birkin bag, a roomy, square catchall with the HAC’s trademark leather flap top and the addition of a lock and key.
Owing to the brand’s legendary commitment to deft, handcrafted construction, the Birkin is an investment that is coveted by collectors everywhere.
While the Kelly and Birkin may be standouts, gracing the arms of everyone from royal heiresses to hip-hop stars in the past few decades, the handbags are but a small part of Hermès’s fashion offerings.
Since the 1920s, the brand has produced some of the most desirable leather goods in the world. There’s the Constance bag, a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy, the recently relaunched 1970s-era Evelyne and, on the vintage market, a slew of designs dating back to the 1920s.
Good design never goes out of style. Find a variety of vintage Hermès handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- Hermes Halzan 25 Bag White w Gold HardwareBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAHermes bag in Evercalf Leather This is the new size 25cm In our opinion, just the right size, not too big, not too small! Nothing better than white with gold hardware So chic and ele...Category
2010s French Clutches
$5,700 Sale Price40% Off - Hermes Caleche Elastique Remix Silk Scarf Red White BlueBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAHermes Scarf CALECHE ELASTIQUE REMIX Designed by Bali Barret Made in France approx size varies as this is hand made 36 x 36 90cm x 90cm Scarf in silk twill with hand rolle...Category
2010s French Scarves
- Hermes Danse Pacifique Silk 90cm New Black Feathers and ShellsBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAHermes Danse Pacifique Made in France Designed by Laurence Bourthoumieux Measures 36" x 36" Size is 90cm Full size scarf Scarf in silk twill with hand rolled edges (100% silk) Made ...Category
2010s French Scarves
$416 Sale Price30% Off - Hermes Nata Mini Della Cavalleria Epsom Crossbody BagBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PANewly Created Hermes Della Cavalleria Mini Bag Brand new, B stamp If you love the Constance bag you will love this one too Elegant and inspiring , with the sophistication of a horse ...Category
2010s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Hermes Birkin 25 Beton Bag Gold Hardware WBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAHermes Birkin 25cm Beton, a classic netral color from Hermes, a creamy Ivory with some grey undertones Gold Hardware The Hermes Birkin is a luxury handbag from the fashion house Herm...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Birkin Sellier 25 Craie Espom Cacao Interior Rose Gold Hardware BagBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAThe Hermes Birkin is a luxury handbag from the fashion house Hermes. It is a variation of the iconic Hermes Birkin bag, which was first introduced in 1984 and has since become one of...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Chain Around Mini Dark Blue Clutch Mini Classic FlapBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel dark navy mini chain around clutch flap Spring 2004 {VINTAGE 17 Years} Silver Hardware Signature CC Turnlock Triple classic interwoven chains around entire bag Beige monogram...Category
Early 2000s French Clutches
- Bottega Veneta Black Satin Woven Clutch with TasselBy Bottega VenetaLocated in Los Angeles, CABottega Veneta Woven clutch with tassel Black satin Rectangular rhinestone covering clip closure Made in Italy Comes with brown dustbagCategory
Late 20th Century Italian Clutches
- Borsa A Mano Louis Vuitton Pochette Jour Chapman Savane L.E.By Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITpochette firmata Louis Vuitton, modello Jour, misura GM, in edizione limitata Chapman Savane, realizzata in tela damier con stampa e hardware argento. Dotata di una chiusura con zip ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Clutches
- Chanel Bag with Classic Flap Crossbody Rare Enamel Top Handle Black Lambskin BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Rare Enamel Top Handle Classic Flap Bag Crossbody Same collection (larger size, different color) as seen on Kate Middleton. Very rare limited e...Category
2010s Italian Evening Bags and Minaudières
- Chanel Classic Flap Clutch Vintage 80's Gold Cc Closure Black Crocodile Skin BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Vintage 1989 Crocodile Flap Bag Clutch Gold CC Closure The vintage Chanel octagon black crocodile 8 sided flap with classic cc closure and atta...Category
1980s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel 2008 Gold Twisted Iconic Chain Braided Knotted Rare Black Lambskin ClutchBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLMedium Chanel sized soft lambskin leather clutch with magnetic closure and four interior compartments. Year: 2008 { Vintage 16 Years} Black leather Gold hardware Braided interwoven...Category
Early 2000s Italian Clutches
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Iconic Hermès Bag Is Made from an Unexpected Material: Wood
From a house that specializes in covetable objects, this version of the Kelly is the rarest of finds.
A Short History of the World’s Most Iconic Designs
Of the million-plus items on 1stdibs, some seem to have transcended time, looking as fresh today as when they were first produced. The pieces highlighted on our new Iconic Designs page stand out for longevity, functionality and quality of design and manufacture — just the tonic for the present unsettled moment.