Hermès Kelly Mini II Tricolore Verso Craie/Mauve Pale/Gold Veau Epsom PHW
About the Item
- Designer:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 4.73 in (12 cm)Depth: 2.37 in (6 cm)Length: 7.88 in (20 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:
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. The company expanded their workshops to design handbags nearly half a century later. 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 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, she 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 handbag 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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Hermès Kelly II Retourne 28cm Caban Veau Togo PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA classic Hermès Kelly II Retourne 28cm handbag. The exterior of this Kelly features the Retourne style in Caban Veau Togo leather and is complemented ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Raffia Rattan & Calfskin Vanity Case BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA unique Raffia handbag by Chanel. The exterior of this Raffia bag is crafted with black calfskin and neutral rattan interwoven seamlessly. It feature...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Green Alligator Jumbo Classic Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA rare exquisite Chanel Jumbo Classic Flap handbag. The exterior of this Jumbo Classic is in a vivid green shiny alligator leather with gold tone hardwar...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Hermès Mini Evelyne 16cm Chocolate Clemence GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA lovely Hermès mini Evelyne handbag. The exterior of this Evelyne bag is crafted from chocolate Clemence leather complemented with gold-tone hardwa...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Hermès Limited Edition Constance 18cm Marble Silk PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA limited edition Hermès Constance 18cm bag. The bag features a rare technique that creates exceptional colours in the silk Orbis design. The exterior ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Hermès Mini Evelyne 16cm Gold Amazone Taurillon Clemence GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA lovely Hermès mini Evelyne handbag. The exterior of this Evelyne bag is crafted from gold Taurillon Clemence leather complemented with gold-tone hardware and white stitching. It fe...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- 2015 Chanel Rare black Classic flap enamel crossbody top handle bagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLVery rare piece the same collection in a larger size as bag seen on kate middleton Lambskin leather comes with dust bag and authenticity card. In like...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- 2008 Chanel Mademoiselle patent leather frame bagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLWorn by Kim K. in a larger version In excellent condition minor wrinkles to patent leather on bottom of bag. Can be worn as a wrist satchel, top handle bag or a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- Yves Saint Laurent Cabas Chyc Tote Yellow Aged Gold HardwareBy Saint LaurentLocated in DOUBLE BAY, NSWThis Saint Laurent Paris yellow Cabas Chyc tote bag is perfect for everyday usage. The bag is made of leather and features a gold-tone Y motif snap clasp, twin wrapped handles, and m...Category
2010s Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Kelly Sellier 25 Bambou Bag Chevre Leather GoldBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAGuaranteed authentic Hermes Kelly 25 Sellier bag featured in stunning Bambou The most popular green. Leather is Chevre, one of the most collected leathers because of its durability ...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Kelly Sellier 28 Bag Rouge Venetian Epsom Gold Hardware NewBy HermèsLocated in West Chester, PAThis Kelly Sellier, in the Sellier style, is in Rouge Venetian Epsom Leather with Gold hardware Tonal stitching, front flap, two straps with center toggle closure, clochette with loc...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Authentic Chloe Brown Goatskin Handbag with Crossbody StrapBy ChloéLocated in Carlsbad, CABeautiful brown handbag with original crossbody strap. This handbag has one large main zippered pocket with 2 additional small side pockets and has go...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Bulgarian Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
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.