Hermès Kelly 35 Togo Gris Tourterelle
About the Item
- Designer:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 9.45 in (24 cm)Depth: 4.34 in (11 cm)Length: 13.78 in (35 cm)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Torre Del Greco, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU768319949942
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Torre Del Greco, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Louis Vuitton Sofia Trunk WhiteBy Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITLouis Vuitton satchel bag, model Sofia, size 30, made of smooth white leather with silver hardware. Equipped with a zip closure, internally ...Category
2010s Top Handle Bags
- Borsa A Mano Chanel Portobello Bicolor Bianca 2008/2009By ChanelLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITBorsa firmata Chanel, modello Portobello, anno 2008/09, realizzata in pelle bianca e camoscio rosa con hardware argento. Predispone di un’apertura centrale con chiusura a zip. Intern...Category
Early 2000s Top Handle Bags
- Borsa A Mano Louis Vuitton Altona GM Damier EbeneBy Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITPortadocumenti firmato Louis Vuitton, modello Altona, misura GM, realizzata in tela marrone nella fantasia damier, con inserti in pelle tono su tono e hardware dorati. Dotata di una ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- Louis Vuitton Comédie Carousel L.E. Top Handle BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITIconic Louis Vuitton bag, Comédie Carousel model, year of production 2010/2011, made in lurex fabric with inserts in leathers with gold hardware. ...Category
2010s Novelty Bags
- Hermes Birkin 30 Violet Ostrich Top Handle BagBy HermèsLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITHermes handbag, Birkin model, size 30, made of purple ostrich leather with silver hardware. Equipped with double leather handle and the classic flap closure with interlocking. Inte...Category
2010s Top Handle Bags
- 2008 Hermès Birkin 35 Togo Leather Toundra Top Handle BagBy HermèsLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITHermès handbag, Birkin model, size 35, made in toundra-colored togo leather with silver hardware. Equipped with the classic flap with interlocking closure and buckle. Complete with p...Category
Early 2000s Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Vintage Denim Quilted Drawstring Hobo Shoulder Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Pre-Owned 2008-2009 diamond quilted drawstring tote Featuring silver-tone hardware, a diamond quilted finish, an internal logo patch, chain and fabric top handles and a strip...Category
Early 2000s Italian Tote Bags
- Hermès 1997 Souvenir De L'exposition Clear Kelly Translucent 241116By HermèsLocated in Dix hills, NYHermès 1997 Souvenir De L'exposition Clear Kelly Translucent 241116 Measurements: Length: 15.5" Width: 4" Height: 11.5" Handle Drop: 1.5" OVERALL GOOD...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- Roberto Cavalli Gold Baguette BagBy Cavalli, Roberto CavalliLocated in Amsterdam, NLVintage Exclusive Just Cavalli Golden Baquette bag We offer more exclusive vintage items, view our frontstore. Details: 4 closing magnetic press buttons 1 zipper pocket inside 2 ...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Waist Belt Sports Logo 233977 Grey Nylon Shoulder BagBy ChanelLocated in Dix hills, NYDate Code/Serial Number: Peeled Measurements: Length: 5.9" Width: 1.96" Height: 5.9" Adjustable Strap: "20-33" Waist OVERALL GOOD CONDITION ( 7/10 or B ) Signs of Wear: Some ...Category
20th Century Top Handle Bags
- Hermès Kelly L Translucent 1997 Souvenir L'exposition Clear 230089 White VinylBy HermèsLocated in Dix hills, NYMeasurements: Length: 15.74" Width: 4.13" Height: 11.41" Handle drop: 2" OVERALL VERY GOOD VINTAGE CONDITION ( 7/10 or B ) Signs of Wear: Exterior: yellowing due to age, scuff...Category
20th Century Top Handle Bags
- Celine Mini White Grained Leather Logo Chain Top Handle BagBy CelineLocated in Atlanta, GAToo cute for us to handle! This Celine beauty is crafted in white grained leather, gold-tone hardware, an optional strap, chain-link charm and dual top handles. This limited edition ...Category
2010s Italian Top Handle 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.