Hermes Kelly To Go Lime RGHW
View Similar Items
Hermes Kelly To Go Lime RGHW
About the Item
- Designer:
- Design:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Double Bay, AU
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3463221438692
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.
- Chanel Pink Boy Wallet On Chain SHWBy ChanelLocated in Double Bay, AUCondition: VGUC - Slight wear on corners Hardware Colour: Ruthenium hardware Colour: Pink Leather: Lambskin Leather Measurements Length: 19cm Height: 12cm Depth: 3.5cm Year ...Category
2010s Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Hermes Mini Evelyne Gris Meyer GHWBy HermèsLocated in Double Bay, AUCondition: Brand new Colour: Gris Meyer Material: Togo Hardware Colour: Gold Inclusion: Full set Year (stamp) : U Stamp (purchased 2023) Origin: France Authenticity: Authenti...Category
2010s Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Hermes Constance 1-24 Gold Epsom GHW 2022By HermèsLocated in Double Bay, AUCondition: Brand New Colour: Gold Leather: Epsom leather Hardware Colour: Gold Tone Measurement: 9.5" width x 7" height x 3" depth; 18" adjustable shoulder strap Year of Produ...Category
2010s Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Hermes Mini Evelyn Orange GHWBy HermèsLocated in Double Bay, AUCondition: Like New - may have been used once or twice Colour: Orange Leather: Togo Hardware Colour: Gold Inclusion: Full set Origin: FranceCategory
2010s Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel 22 Bag Mini - Caramel GHWBy ChanelLocated in Double Bay, AUThis elegant Chanel 22 Bag Mini is a timeless and classic piece, crafted from the finest quilted leather. Its timeless silhouette will take you from day to night, adding a touch of s...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Hermes Mini Evelyne Etoupe GHWBy HermèsLocated in Double Bay, AUCondition: Like new Colour: Etoupe Material: Togo Hardware Colour: Gold Year (stamp): Y 2020 Inclusion: Full set Origin: FranceCategory
2010s Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Very Rare Rolex Leather PurseBy RolexLocated in Dallas, TXVery Rare Rolex Leather Purse - Green Rolex Leather Purse. Dimensions : 7 x 4.5 inch. Can be worn as an over the shoulder bag or as a fanny pack. Comes wit...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- GUCCI Authentic RARE Leather GG Logo VINTAGE 1970s Handbag Purse Crossbody ITALYBy GucciLocated in Asheville, NCGucci, Authentic Vintage 1970's, Iconic GG Logo, Heavy Goldtone Hardware, Leather, Marked BREV. N. 53280 (BREV. stand for PATENTED MODEL in Italian), Made in Italy, Short Crossbody (More of a Shoulder Bag) Open Goldtone Front Logo, Gucci Interior...Category
1970s Italian Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
$1,399 Sale Price30% Off - 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
- 1996 Chanel vintage jumbo snake chain flap bagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLExcellent vintage condition Minor scratches to interior lambskin flap lining some minor knicks to patent leather Very rarely carried and always stored in dust bag Collectors dream ...Category
1990s Structured Shoulder Bags
- 1990s Chanel ICONIC CC vintage navy blue drawstring bucket bagLocated in Miami, FLNavy Blue extremely rare color ONLY ONE on the market! Gently used with minor scratches to CC hardware Minimal wear on bottom corner barely noticeable other areas are in excellent condition includes interior pouch to place cosmetics or credit cards in drawstring closure Gold Hardware CC's all around bottom Serial number is not present has faded Interior is in excellent condition; lambskin navy blue interior lining Chanel name...Category
20th Century Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- 90s Chanel green leather drawstring bucket crossbody bagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLStunning 90s Iconic CC bucket bag in a very rare color GREEN 24k gold plated cc ball hardware double large zippered interior pockets with cc charm round fla...Category
Early 20th Century 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.