Hermès Kelly II Sellier 28 cm Noir Epsom GHW Handbag
View Similar Items
Hermès Kelly II Sellier 28 cm Noir Epsom GHW Handbag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 3.94 in (10 cm)Length: 7.88 in (20 cm)Waist: 11.03 in (28 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: RD40331stDibs: LU2326213557102
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.
- Hermès Noir Mini Kelly Twilly Bag CharmBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA chic Hermès Mini Kelly Twilly bag charm. The exterior of this Kelly bag charm features a Noir Tadelakt leather detailed with tonal stitching...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Chanel Green Alligator Jumbo Classic Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA rare exquisite Chanel Jumbo Classic Flap handbag. The exterior of this Jumbo Classic is in a vivid green shiny alligator leather with gold tone hardwar...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Hermés Birkin 30cm Touch Noir Taurillon Novillo/ Bleu Marine Niloticus Lisse PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA gorgeous Hermès Touch Birkin 30 cm bag. The exterior of this Birkin "Touch" features noir taurillon novillo and bleu marine niloticus lisse leather with palladium hardware. The ext...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Tom Ford Crystal-Embellished Mini Clutch BagBy Tom FordLocated in London, GBA stunning crystal-embellished mini clutch bag by Tom Ford. This clutch features crystal-embellished soft goatskin leather and contrasting silver-tone ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Clutches
$3,002 Sale Price25% Off - Hermès Kelly 35cm Clemence Rouge Tomate GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA unique Hermès Kelly Rouge Tomate 35cm bag. The Rouge Tomate Clemence leather bag is detailed with gold-tone hardware. The exterior of this Kelly feature...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Hermés Birkin 35cm Sellier Sunrise Rainbow Epsom PHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA Rare Limited Edition Hermès Sellier Birkin 35cm Rainbow Sunrise bag. The exterior of this Birkin features Epsom leather in yellow lime, sésame beige, rose confetti, and brown terre. These sunrise-inspired colours are complemented with palladium hardware. This rainbow Birkin...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Novelty Bags
- Kathrine Baumann Leopard Design Swarovski Crystal Minaudiere Evening BagBy Kathrine Baumann Beverly HillsLocated in Tustin, CAExquisite handmade designer, Kathrine Baumann, who is the celebrated handbag maker to the stars, leopard pattern pillow shaped minaudière, evening bag...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Evening Bags and Minaudières
- Chanel 1991 Vintage Velvet Quilted Medallion Fanny Pack Waist Belt Bag Rare BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel 1991 Vintage Velvet Quilted Medallion Fanny Pack Waist Belt Bag Rare 1991 {VINTAGE 33 Years} Gold hardware Lambskin lined Adjustable clasp belt with max 40" 4” H x 9” W x 3” ...Category
1990s French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel 1994 Lambskin Duma Quilted Medium 90's Vintage BackpackBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Black quilted lambskin backpack with interwoven chain straps 1994 {VINTAGE 28 Years} Gold hardware Double CC turnlock closure Small front po...Category
1990s French Backpacks
- Chanel Rare Black Vintage 90's CC Paris SunglassesBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Rare Black Vintage 90's CC Paris Sunglasses Year: 1993 Spring/Summer Collection Lens: Solid Black Frame Color: Black Style: Round Measurements: Height: 2.12 inches (5.4 cm) Fr...Category
1990s Italian Sunglasses
- Chanel Limited Edition Resort Fringe Mesh Black Leather Large Tote Rare SoldoutBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel large fringe resort tote with black mesh 2011 Classic silver hardware interwoven chain Crochet mesh nylon fabric Strap drop 25" 15" H x 16" W x .5" D Made in Italy As seen...Category
2010s Italian Tote Bags
- Chanel Vintage Black Lambskin Quilted Medallion Fanny Pack Waist Belt Bag RareBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLVintage Chanel black lambskin quilted medallion fanny pack 1991 {VINTAGE 33 Years} Gold hardware Lambskin lined Adjustable clasp belt with max 40" 4” H x 9” W x 3” D Made in FranceCategory
1990s French 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.