Why is Hermès so special?

Hermès is so special for a few reasons. The French luxury house is one of the most storied fashion labels in the world and has a rich heritage that dates back to 1837.Hermès began in Paris as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen. The house later 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 jewelry to pillows and handbags .Hermès artisans spend years honing their craft as apprentices before they produce Hermès pieces in premium materials. For example, the Kelly bag , which was named in tribute to one of its biggest fans, Grace Kelly, takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce , and its 680 hand stitches are made by one Hermès artisan. Each Birkin tote is also hand-sewn according to Hermès’s centuries-old saddle-stitching technique, and its exotic leathers , a variety that includes ostrich and crocodile , are subsequently painted and polished by house craftsmen in France.On 1stDibs, explore a selection of vintage Hermès handbags and accessories.

Hermes Kelly 28

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Brand New Hermes Kelly 28 Graphite Ostrich PHW

Unavailable

Brand New Hermes Kelly 28 Graphite Ostrich PHW

By Hermès

Located in London, GB

Brand New Hermes Kelly 28 Graphite Ostrich PHW

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags

Hermès Kelly 28 Jaune De Naples Epsom Palladium Hardware

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

HERMES BNIB Kelly 28 Sellier "Gold" Epsom Leather Palladium Hardware

By Hermès

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Description: This is a beautiful Brand New Hermes Kelly 28 Sellier "Gold" Epsom Leather PHW Bag in brown hue with the palladium-plated hardware.

Category

2010s French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags

Hermes Birkin 25 bag lime

By Hermès

Located in London, England

HERMÈS Birkin 25 bag Lime colour with Swift Leather with Palladium Hardware U Stamp / 2023. Comes with original receipt, box, dustbag, ribbon, felt, clochette, lock& keys.

Category

2010s Top Handle Bags

Natural Kelly 32 Unisex Structured Shoulder Bag - Excellent Condition

$15,950

Natural Kelly 32 Unisex Structured Shoulder Bag - Excellent Condition

By Hermès

Located in Athens, GA

Hermes Natural Kelly 32 Swift Leather Bag. Light tan color. Smooth leather. Good condition. Restored at Hermes spa treatment. Gold hardware. Vintage Kelly bag. Interior clean. Includ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags

Hermès 2009 Sienne Clemence Leather Kelly 35cm Retourne Top Handle Bag

$14,977

H 10.04 in W 13.78 in D 5.52 in

Hermès 2009 Sienne Clemence Leather Kelly 35cm Retourne Top Handle Bag

By Hermès

Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire

Hermès Sienne Clemence Leather Kelly 35cm Retourne Product Details Xupes Ref: CB1452 Brand: Hermès Model: Kelly 35cm Type: Top Handle Serial Number: [M] Age: 2009 Accompanied By: He...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags

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Hermes Kelly 32 Rose Azalee Bag Palladium Hardware Evercolor Leather

$38,875

Size: 32 cm

Hermes Kelly 32 Rose Azalee Bag Palladium Hardware Evercolor Leather

By Hermès

Located in Miami, FL

Mightychic offers an Hermès Kelly 32 in Rose Azalée Evercolor leather with Palladium hardware. This striking Hermès Kelly highlights one of the house’s most vibrant and sought-after...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags

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Thierry Mugler Brown Suit

By Thierry Mugler

Located in Alford, MA

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Category

1980s French Skirt Suits

$87,996Sale Price|20% Off

HERMES Birkin 35 Black Shiny Crocodile Top Handle Satchel Tote Bag

By Hermès

Located in Charlotte, NC

HERMES Birkin 35 Black Shiny Crocodile Top Handle Satchel Tote Bag Shiny Porosus Crocodile Palladium tone hardware Leather lining Turn lock closure Made in France Date code presen...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags

Hermes Birkin 25 Cote A Cote Tuffetage Limited Edition Bag

$59,765

Size: 25 cm

Hermes Birkin 25 Cote A Cote Tuffetage Limited Edition Bag

By Hermès

Located in Miami, FL

Mightychic offers an Hermès Birkin 25 Côte à Côte Tuffetage in Black Swift with Permabrass hardware. This rare limited edition Birkin introduces Hermès’ Côte à Côte tuffetage techniq...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags

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Hermes Kelly 28 For Sale on 1stDibs

You are likely to find exactly the vintage or contemporary hermes kelly 28 you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. Many people prefer Black, but fashion is all about individuality — you can find Brown, Red and more options on these pages. You’re likely to find the perfect hermes kelly 28 among the distinctive accessories we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Finding a hermes kelly 28 for sale for women should be easy, but there are 189 pieces available to browse for men as well.

How Much is a Hermes Kelly 28?

Prices for a hermes kelly 28 can differ depending upon size, designer and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $1,717 and can go as high as $122,823, while, on average they fetch $15,995.

Hermès for sale on 1stDibs

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.

Finding the Right Handbags And Purses for You

An integral part of fashion, handbags and purses have been indispensable accessories ever since we began to carry around personal items. Level of craftsmanship, style and shape matters — from coin purses in ancient Greece to early 20th-century opera bags and onward, handbags have evolved considerably over the years to meet our needs and desires, whether or not you happen to be prioritizing functionality over a flashy exterior.

Once, a single “It” handbag ruled each fashion season. No more. Today, lovers of vintage handbags are savvier and have a wider range of shopping options. Nevertheless, classics created by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior and Balenciaga still rule.

“It is not a fashion bag — it is a statement bag,” says Mightychic's Debra Kent of Hermès's widely beloved accessories. “When you carry an iconic Hermès bag — Birkin, Kelly, Constance — no one knows how long you have been into this culture or if you are a newbie. Your status is validated immediately.”

First released in 1997, Fendi's Baguette rose to fame along with Carrie Bradshaw, the Sex and the City character portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker. Recently, the design has seen such a resurgence in popularity that Fendi has reissued it.

They are part of design history, so owning a handbag has meaning. As New York–based fashion historian Sarah C. Byrd says, “You have made the choice to invest in this piece because you understand the value of it in the past and in the future to come.”

From a 1980s Chanel black leather quilted mini buckle bag to the rare Hermès Birkin 30cm Himalayan with diamond hardware to a range of 19th-century bags, find a rich variety of vintage and designer handbags and purses spanning numerous brands on 1stDibs — seasonal “It” designation no longer needed.

Questions About Hermès

Why is Hermès so special?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
Hermès is so special for a few reasons. The French luxury house is one of the most storied fashion labels in the world and has a rich heritage that dates back to 1837.

Hermès began in Paris as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen. The house later 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 jewelry to pillows and handbags.

Hermès artisans spend years honing their craft as apprentices before they produce Hermès pieces in premium materials. For example, the Kelly bag, which was named in tribute to one of its biggest fans, Grace Kelly, takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches are made by one Hermès artisan. Each Birkin tote is also hand-sewn according to Hermès’s centuries-old saddle-stitching technique, and its exotic leathers, a variety that includes ostrich and crocodile, are subsequently painted and polished by house craftsmen in France.

On 1stDibs, explore a selection of vintage Hermès handbags and accessories.

Beyond the Birkin: 10 Hermès Bags with ‘If You Know, You Know’ Appeal

What these styles lack in name recognition they more than make up for in cachet.

Dress Like Your Favorite NFL Player with an Hermès HAC Bag

Before the Birkin there was the Haut à Courroies, which has become the chic carryall of choice for the league's most stylish athletes.

This Hermès Picnic Garden Party Bag Is Elegant and Errand-Friendly

Does wicker get more high-end than this?

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.