HERMÈS MINI KELLY II 20CM MENTHE Chèvre Leather with Palladium Hardware
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)Width: 7.5 in (19.05 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:
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 PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- HERMÈS PICOTIN 18CM BLACK Clemence Leather with Palladium HardwareBy HermèsLocated in London, GBHermès Picotin 18cm in Black Clemence Leather with Palladium Hardware W Stamp / 2024 Accompanied by: Original receipt, Hermes box, Hermes dustbag, lock, keys, care card and ribbon...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- GOYARD Belvedere MM Flap Bag in BlackBy GoyardLocated in London, GBGoyard Belvedere MM Flap Bag in Black Decize Taurillon Leather & Goyardine Canvas Accompanied by: Box and dustbag Dimensions: 22 cm x 7 cm x 16 ...Category
2010s European Top Handle Bags
- HERMÈS CONSTANCE SLIM WALLET ORANGE Epsom Leather with Palladium HardwareBy HermèsLocated in London, GBHermès Constance Slim Wallet in Orange Epsom Leather with Palladium Hardware Slim wallet with removable zipped change purse, two credit card slots and belt loop Dimensions: L 12....Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- HERMÈS MINI KELLY II 20CM BLUE JEAN Epsom Leather with Palladium HardwareBy HermèsLocated in London, GBHermès Mini Kelly II 20cm in Blue Jean Sellier Epsom Leather with Palladium Hardware B Stamp / 2023 Accompanied by: Original receipt, Strap, Hermes box, Hermes dustbag, care ca...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- GOYARD Saint Louis GM Lettres Camouflage Graffiti BagBy GoyardLocated in London, GBGoyard Saint Louis GM Lettres Camouflage Graffiti Bag Black, Pink & Khaki Chevroches Calfskin Leather & Goyardine Canvas Accompanied by: Dustbag Dimensions: 40cm x 34cm X 20cmCategory
2010s European Top Handle Bags
- HERMÈS BIRKIN 30CM BLACK Togo Leather with Gold HardwareBy HermèsLocated in London, GBHermès Birkin 30cm in Black Retourne Togo Leather with Gold Hardware B Stamp / 2024 Accompanied by: Original receipt, Hermes box, Hermes dustbag, clochette, lock, two keys, cloch...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Pablo Picasso Vintage Bi Color Kelly Flap BagBy Pablo PicassoLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style bag from Pablo Picassi is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is made of blac...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Judith Leiber Rare Vintage Alligator Kelly Flap BagBy Judith LeiberLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style Alligator bag from Judith Leiber is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is ba...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Rare Hermès Birkin 25cm Gris Caillou Grizzly/ Gris Meyer Swift PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA rare Hermès Birkin 25cm handbag. The Grizzly Birkin is the namesake edition designed to showcase Veau Doblis Suede. The exterior of this Birkin is cra...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Hermés Kelly Sellier 25cm Vert Verone Veau Epsom GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA gorgeous Hermès 25cm Kelly bag. The exterior of this Kelly features a Sellier style in Vert Verone Veau Epsom leather. The Vert Verone Epsom leather is complemented with gold-tone hardware and tonal stitchings. It features a front toggle closure with two straps, a single rolled handle and a removable shoulder strap. The interior is lined with Vert Verone leather and has one zip pocket with an Hermès engraved...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Birkin 25cm Shadow Black Swift PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA limited edition Hermès Birkin 25cm handbag. This rare handbag was first created in 2009 by French designer Jean Paul Gaultier as the essence of a Birkin...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Goyard White Mini Saigon Souple BagBy GoyardLocated in London, GBA sophisticated Mini Saigon handbag by Goyard. The exterior is crafted in the white signature Goyardine coated canvas with a wooden handle and foldover front lock that gives this bag...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Hermès Passe-Guide Bag Might Not Be as Well Known as the Birkin or Kelly, But It’s Every Bit as Chic
Find out why this under-the-radar piece is so exceptional.
How to Spot a Fake Hermès Birkin Bag
The iconic Birkin bag is much coveted — and often copied. Find out how to tell the real deal from a convincing fake. Of course, you don't have to worry about this on 1stDibs, where every seller is highly vetted.