Vintage Hermes Red Textured Leather Cutout Handle Shopper Tote Handbag
View Similar Items
Vintage Hermes Red Textured Leather Cutout Handle Shopper Tote Handbag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:San Francisco, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: SKU: 91762 1stDibs: LU16224985103
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.
- BALLY Black Leather Briefcase BagsBy BallyLocated in San Francisco, CABALLY briefcase come in black textured leather with a flap front, gold tone side press lock closure, top handle, and suede liner with inner zip compart...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Briefcases and Attachés
- TUMI Grey Leather Briefcase BagBy TumiLocated in San Francisco, CATUMI briefcase in a grey leather fabric featuring utilitarian pockets, zip closure, and removable crossbody strap.Excellent Pre-Owned Condition. Measu...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Briefcases and Attachés
- BALLY Black Leather Top Handles Tote BagBy BallyLocated in San Francisco, CABALLY bag comes in a black leather featuring a tote style, top handles, front pockets, silver tone hardware, and a zipper closure. Very Good Pre-Owned Condition. Minor wear. As-is. ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Tote Bags
- ISSEY MIYAKE White Black Triangle PVC Tote Handbag & Leather GoodsBy Issey MiyakeLocated in San Francisco, CAISSEY MIYAKE BAO BAO bag comes in a white & black leather featuring signature triangular appliqués , mesh tote in black, adjustable top handle...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Tote Bags
- BALLY Brown Monogram Nylon Leather Tote HandbagBy BallyLocated in San Francisco, CABALLY Vintage bag comes in a brown monogram nylon material featuring tote bag style, leather top handles, inner pocket, and a zipper closure. Made in Italy. Very Good Pre-Owned Condi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Tote Bags
- COACH Grey Pebble Grain Leather Tote BagBy Coach HouseLocated in San Francisco, CACOACH bag in a grey pebble grain leather fabric featuring a tote style, top handles with removable adjustable shoulder strap, spacious interior, and magnetic closure. Comes with dust...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Tote Bags
- Chanel Vintage Dark Green Crocodile Tote BriefcaseBy ChanelLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Chanel Dark Green Crocodile Tote Briefcase is in excellent condition. Very rare, Chanel no longer produces exotics. This is an exceptio...Category
Late 20th Century European Briefcases and Attachés
- Chanel 1994 Rare Vintage Red Caviar Executive Briefcase Laptop Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel caviar red vintage briefcase with gold CC clasp 1994 {VINTAGE 28 Years} Gold hardware Interior centered zippered pocket 11" H x 14.75" W x 2.5" D Handle Drop 2" Made in FranceCategory
1990s French Briefcases and Attachés
- Red leather breifcase with handle and Medusa pattern Gianni Versace Circa 1980'sBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRRed leather breifcase with handle and Medusa pattern. 2 inside compartments . 2 Locks and 2 keys. Inside pocket with zip. Branded nylon lining. Size 35 cm X 30 cm X 10 cmCategory
1980s Italian Briefcases and Attachés
- Red leather breifcase with Medusa embosset Giani Versace Circa 1980'sBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRRed leather breifcase with Medusa embosset. Width:38 cm , height: 28 cm, depth: 5 cm . In leather with branded nylon lining. Lock ( no more keys) Flat pocket in the back.Category
1980s Italian Briefcases and Attachés
- Louis Vuitton Red Epi Riviera HandbagBy Louis VuittonLocated in Scottsdale, AZThis beautiful Louis Vuitton Epi Riviera Handbag was made in France and it is finely crafted of a red epi leather exterior with leather trimming and gold-tone hardware features. It h...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Briefcases and Attachés
- Hermès Rare Men's Leather Toiletry Traveling BriefcaseBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CACollectible and rare 1940s Hermès leather travelingcase. Case is numbered, pre-letter dating. Great condition with all interior parts in place. Black box calf leather has very minor ...Category
1940s French Briefcases and Attachés
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.