New in Box Hermes Kelly 25 Craie Togo Gold Hardware Bag
View Similar Items
New in Box Hermes Kelly 25 Craie Togo Gold Hardware Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 4 in (10.16 cm)Width: 4.75 in (12.07 cm)Length: 9.75 in (24.77 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: HER0907021stDibs: LU478310356162
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.
- Lady Dior Large Red Python BagBy Christian DiorLocated in West Hollywood, CAChristian Dior Python large Lady Dior bag in red. The handle drop is 4" and the shoulder strap drop 17". The bag has single zipper and one zip po...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- New in Box Louis Vuitton Portofino On The Go Limited Edition BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in West Hollywood, CALouis Vuitton 2020 limited edition "escale" collection. Portofino ultra limited VIP edition. Brand new in box with original dust cov...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Top Handle Bags
$3,999 Sale Price20% Off - 1990's Vintage Chanel Epsom Black Leather Zipped ToteBy ChanelLocated in West Hollywood, CAChanel authentic everyday bag in durable epsom leather and gold tone hardware. Top zipper, side open compartment and side zipped compartment. Collecti...Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Bottega Veneta Black Leather HandbagBy Bottega VenetaLocated in West Hollywood, CABottega Veneta smooth and intrecciato combination black leather handbag. Spacious with two interior compartments plus a center zipped one. Tan su...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Top Handle Bags
- 1990's Chanel Vintage Black Leather Unisex BagBy ChanelLocated in West Hollywood, CAChanel 90's unisex butter lambskin small black weekender bag. Handle drop 5.5". Shoulder drop 15.25". Comes with hologram, id card and original dust cover.Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Oversize Coral Caviar ToteBy ChanelLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis beautiful City bag from Chanel comes in a coral color which looks good with a business outfit as well as jeans. The handles have a drop of 7 inches so you can also wear it over ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Small Pink Trendy CC Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA stylish pink Chanel Small Trendy CC Flap Bag. The exterior of this Trendy is crafted with pink lambskin leather in the signature diamond style stitchi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Madison Box Bag PinkBy Cristina SabatiniLocated in Carlsbad, CAThe Madison is a velvet box bag with a faux leather handle for a more elegant look. DESCRIPTION Box open bag with a locket turn-lock closure Velvet Faux leather handle with attachab...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Novelty Bags
$199 - Antique Handbag Chinese Embroidery Gold Metallic Dragon Black Silk Bag PurseLocated in Portland, ORThis fine silk late 19th Century antique Chinese bag came from an estate I handled that had an incredible collection of Asian textiles. Many of the pieces w...Category
19th Century Chinese Top Handle Bags
- Aqua Suede 1960s Double Pouch HandbagLocated in Alford, MAA unique find, this vintage handbag cannot fail to make you smile. Constructed of aqua suede that is channel-stitched in an inverted V-pattern, it is composed of two separate and con...Category
Mid-20th Century American Top Handle Bags
- Morris Moskowitz Rose Pink 1960s BagBy Morris MoskowitzLocated in Alford, MAMM handbag c.1960s in dark pink, the leather featuring horizontal, curved stitching resulting in a quilted effect. The faux tortoise handles echo the shape of the bag and snap together to close. A coordinating faille interior has an attached money purse...Category
Mid-20th Century American Top Handle Bags
- Chanel Lambskin Evening HandbagBy ChanelLocated in Scottsdale, AZWhen choosing your next bag, the answer is always vintage Chanel. This bag has all the classic hints of Chanel but different than anything you have seen before. Details include a kno...Category
Early 2000s French Top Handle Bags
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.