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 Porosus

Hermes Black Crocodile Birkin 35

Crocodile Tote

Kelly Porosus

Brown Crocodile Handbag

Hermes Crocodile Kelly Bag

Crocodile Top Handle Bag

Hermes 35 Birkin With Gold Hardware

Constance Belt

Hermes Kelly 32 Black Crocodile Porosus

Unavailable

Size: 32

Hermes Kelly 32 Black Crocodile Porosus

By Hermès

Located in Paris, FR

Hermes Kelly 32 Black Crocodile Black shiny crocodile skin with gold hardware Sellier model The bag is lined with chevre leather. Interior is in good condition with a zipper pock...

Category

1970s French Tote Bags

Unavailable

Size: 35cm

35cm Hermes Semi-Matte Blue Sapphire Porosus Crocodile Birkin Handbag

By Hermès

Located in Chicago, IL

MINT CONDITION Pre-Owned 35cm Hermes Semi-Matte Blue Sapphire Porosus Crocodile Birkin Handbag | Palladium Hardware | E Stamp The bag measures 35cm / 14" long, 22cm / 9" hig...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags

40cm Hermès Matte Sanguine Porosus Crocodile Kelly Handbag - Palladium Hardware

Unavailable

Unavailable

H 6.3 in D 1.19 in L 10.04 in

1970s Hermes Black Crocodile Porosus Lisse Lydie 2way Shoulder Rare

By Hermès

Located in Hiroshima City, JP

This striking Authentic Hermes Lydie bag is the super gorgeous vintage handbag from 1979. You can wear the bag as clutch bag or shoulder bag. Delightfully compact, this simple yet el...

Category

1970s French Shoulder Bags

Hermes Vert Fonce Crocodile Porosus Shiny Palladium Hardware "Birkin" 35 cm Bag

Unavailable

H 10 in W 13.5 in L 14 in

Hermes Vert Fonce Crocodile Porosus Shiny Palladium Hardware "Birkin" 35 cm Bag

By Hermès

Located in Chicago, IL

Masterfully constructed of shiny Porosus Crocodile skin in a "Vert Fonce" hue, this piece exudes luxury and exclusivity at its best.

Category

Early 2000s French Tote Bags

Sold

Hermes Porosus Crocodile Leather Red Kelly Bag

By Hermès

Located in New York, NY

Hermes Porosus Crocodile Leather Red Kelly Bag Age: 1986 Made In France Materials: Porosus Crocodile Leather.

Category

1980s French Top Handle Bags

Hermes Porosus Crocodile Constance Bleu Roi

Sold

Hermes Porosus Crocodile Constance Bleu Roi

By Hermès

Located in London, GB

This is a highly collectible vintage Hermes bag. The porosus crocodile vintage Hermes Constance bag comes in a unique and extremely rare Bleu Roi colour.

Category

20th Century French Handbags and Purses

Hermes Porosus Crocodile Constance Bleu Roi

Sold

H 7 in W 9 in D 1.6 in

Hermes Porosus Crocodile Constance Bleu Roi

By Hermès

Located in London, GB

This crocodile skin vintage Hermes Constance bag in Bleu Roi hue is a very rare piece. Accented with a gold-toned branded hardware, this piece comes with an adjustable strap which me...

Category

Late 20th Century French Shoulder Bags

Hermes Porosus Crocodile 32 cm Kelly Handbag

Sold

H 8.7 in D 4.3 in L 12.6 in

Hermes Porosus Crocodile 32 cm Kelly Handbag

By Hermès

Located in Geneva, CH

Hermes dark brown "Kelly" handbag with gold-plated hardware. The interior is lined in goat leather. One zip pocket and two patch pockets. Original Hermes padlock, 2 keys, clochette a...

Category

1980s French Top Handle Bags

HERMES belt strap Rose Scheherezade Porosus Crocodile NWT / box

Sold

Size: 80 cm

HERMES belt strap Rose Scheherezade Porosus Crocodile NWT / box

By Hermès

Located in Miami, FL

HERMES porosus crocodile belt strap in exquisite Rose Scheherezade.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Belts

Sold

Hermes Birkin Fuschia Porosus Crocodile 35 Bag

By Hermès

Located in Athens, GA

Hermes Fuschia Shiny Porosus Crocodile Birkin 35 Bag.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags

Hermes Crocodile Porosus Skin Kelly Sport Bag

Sold

H 9.45 in W 7.88 in

Hermes Crocodile Porosus Skin Kelly Sport Bag

By Hermès

Located in London, GB

Rare Item - Hermes Crocodile Porosus Skin Kelly Sport Bag Bright orange crossbody bag crafted in shiny Crocodile Porosus skin with shiny 18k gold plated hardware.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags

Hermes Birkin 30 Crocodile Porosus Purple bag

Sold

$290,000

Hermes Birkin 30 Rose Scheherazade Shiny Crocodile Bag With Diamonds 18K Gold

By Hermès

Located in New York, NY

Hermès Birkin 30 in Rose Scheherazade Shiny Porosus Crocodile with Diamonds • Hardware: 18K White Gold with Original Hermès Diamonds (not aftermarket) • Condition: Pre-owned, excel...

Category

2010s French Tote Bags

$33,500

Hermes Birkin 30 Rouge H Matte Alligator With Palladium Hardware Handbag

By Hermès

Located in Aventura, FL

The Hermès Matte Alligator Birkin 30 Rouge H is an extraordinary collector's handbag that represents the highest level of Hermès craftsmanship and exclusivity. Crafted from luxurious...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Top Handle Bags

Hermes Kelly Cut Braise Crocodile Clutch Bag Gold Hardware

$56,875

Size: One Size

Hermes Kelly Cut Braise Crocodile Clutch Bag Gold Hardware

By Hermès

Located in Miami, FL

Mightychic offers a limited edition Hermes Kelly Cut bag featured in vivid Braise Niloticus Crocodile. This exquisite lipstick red Hermes clutch is perfect day to evening. Lush with...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Clutches

People Also Browsed

Christian Dior by John Galliano Aubergine Silk Draped Gown early 2000s

$9,000

$682Sale Price|35% Off

$32,000

$35,000

H 5.52 in D 4.34 in L 4.34 in

Chanel Limited Edition Black Lucite Crystal Rocket Bag FW 2017 Unisex

By Chanel

Located in London, GB

- Limited Edition - Chanel FW 2017 Runway piece - Black lucite and crystal rocket ship - Silver hardware - Tonal lucite lined interior - Shoulder Strap Drop Max: 24cm - Condition: Ex...

Category

2010s European Evening Bags and Minaudières

Hermes Drag De Voyage Travel Bag Tan Brown Leather Carry On Luggage Top Handle

$6,934

$42,965

H 5.52 in W 8.27 in D 3.15 in

Hermès 2026 Sac Kelly II Mini 20 cm Dark Green Leather Golden HDW Bag New Hermes

By Hermès

Located in PARIS, FR

Hermès Mini Kelly bag (20 cm size) in dark green Box leather with gold-tone hardware; features a burgundy Box leather interior and a matching shoulder strap. Comes with its box and i...

Category

2010s French Top Handle Bags

Get Updated with New Arrivals

Save "Hermes Porosus", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Hermes Porosus For Sale on 1stDibs

Find the exact vintage or contemporary hermes porosus you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Our collection includes a variety of colors, spanning Black, Brown, Blue and more. If you’re looking for a hermes porosus from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 19th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. There aren’t many items for men if you’re seeking these accessories, as most of the options available are for women and unisex.

How Much is a Hermes Porosus?

The price for a hermes porosus starts at $500 and tops out at $326,579, and on average, selling for $49,000.

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.