1970s Chocolate Hermes Trim Bag
View Similar Items
1970s Chocolate Hermes Trim Bag
About the Item
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 Black Leather Shoulder Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel black patent leather shoulder tote bag featuring a perforated logo pattern, shoulder chain handles, silver tone hardware, an inside detachable pocket by a detachable hook. Ci...Category
Early 2000s French Tote Bags
- Bally Black Leather and Suede Shoulder BagBy BallyLocated in Paris, FRBlack Bally leather bag featuring a gold tone detail on front gold tone detail on the suede flap, an adjustable shoulder strap, a magnetic closure, ...Category
1980s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Celine Large Striped and Calf Leather Bucket BagBy CelineLocated in Paris, FRCeline 1980s large logo patch striped bucket bag featuring a multicolour vertical stripe pattern, an embossed logo to the front, a drawstring fastening, a...Category
1980s French Shoulder Bags
- Jacques Esterel Navy Shoulder Baguette BagBy Jacques EsterelLocated in Paris, FRJacques Esterel 1970s navy and cream long baguette bag featuring detachable shoulder strap with silver tone hooks, many zipped pocket, a front silver tone front logo. In good vintage...Category
1970s Belgian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Camel Leather BagBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel by Karl Lagerfeld camel Caviar leather bag featuring gold tone hardware with top logo zipper closure, the iconic signature gold-tone metal and leather interwoven shoulder stra...Category
1990s French Evening Bags and Minaudières
$3,306 - 1994-1995 Chanel Black Chocolate Leather Shopping Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Paris, FRChanel by Karl Lagerfeld black chocolate shopping tote bag featuring an iconic motif embossed to the front, gold-tone hardware with top zip closure, the iconic signature gold-tone m...Category
1990s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama Capucine MM BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in London, GBIntroducing the mesmerising fusion of luxury and avant-garde artistry - the Louis Vuitton Capucine MM bag, a stunning collaboration with...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoulder Bags
- Chanel 22 Mini Shiny Calfskin BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA lovely Chanel 22 Mini Bag. The exterior is crafted in quilted black shiny calfskin leather with gold-tone hardware. It features a gold tone logo in the front, a dangling CC logo me...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Bucket Bags and Drawstring Bags
- Hermès Special Order Kelly Sellier 35cm Noir Veau Epsom GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA gorgeous Hermès Kelly 35cm bag. The exterior of this Special Order Kelly features a sellier style in noir black veau epsom leather. The noir leather is complemented with gold hardw...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoulder Bags
- Goyard Black Bellechasse Biaude PM BagBy GoyardLocated in London, GBA lovely Bellechasse Biaude PM handbag by Goyard from the Bellechasse Biaude collection. The exterior is crafted in black Decize Taurillon leather & Cervon calfskin leather with pall...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Hermès Herbag Zip Retourne 31 Noir Toile Miltaire/Vache Hunter GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA chic Hermes Herbag Zip 31 handbag. The exterior of this Herbag features a top handle with a crossbody strap in Noir Vache Hunter leather on the top section whereas the body of the ...Category
2010s Swiss Shoulder Bags
- Chanel 2.55 Reissue Maxi Double Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA Chic Chanel 2.55 Reissue Maxi Double Flap Handbag. The exterior of this reissue 2.55 is crafted in metallic champagne lambskin leather with signature diamond stitching and dark sil...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Evening Bags and Minaudières
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
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.