June 3, 2025 | Posted in Blog
An understatement would be that Hermès knows how to create a fabulous bag. As a fashion house, Hermès has created many iconic handbags, but the two that top the list are the Birkin and the Kelly. They’ve been seen on the arms of celebs, influencers and even political figures, plus they’re even seen as a financial investment.
Though both are examples of beautiful craftsmanship and timeless style, you may not know the differences between the Birkin and Kelly, so let’s take a look, shall we?
Made by one singular artisan at a time from 36 pieces of leather with 680 saddle stitches, the Kelly bag is a luxury bag that comes in a trapezoid shape, acting as a classic spin on the sophisticated, structured handbag we’ve seen held by many influential women over the years.
It now comes in many colour combinations, but uniquely, it also comes in eight different sizes, with the mini Kelly bag being incredibly popular.
Hermès has been making bags for over a century, and the Kelly is one of its oldest designs. It’s a bag steeped in history, and it all started in the 1920s.
Robert Dumas (Jacqueline Hermes’s husband and future Hermès CEO) redesigned the Haut à courroies bag, an original Hermès piece, into a smaller, more compact handbag in 1928. He called it the Sac à Dépêches, and it became incredibly popular.
Fast forward to 1955 and the Sac à Dépêches’ popularity was greater than ever. That year, Hollywood star and style icon, Grace Kelly, was starring in the Alfred Hitchcock film, To Catch a Thief. She played a wealthy woman who, thanks to legendary costumer Edith Head, sported a Sac à Dépêches. Kelly fell in love with her prop and took it home from set.
When Grace Kelly married Prince Ranier III of Monaco in 1957, the new princess quickly became pregnant and she would look to her favourite bag to hide her bump from the paparazzi. Many pictures from the time show her with the fabulous handbag placed carefully in front of her stomach. The bag caught the eye of many, leading to rising sales as many women walked into Hermès stores asking for the ‘Kelly bag’.
The nickname would stick but it took two decades for the official rename to happen. The Kelly is still popular and has had several reincarnations and special edition versions. Celebs like A$AP Rocky, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Victoria Beckham are all big fans.
A new Hermès Kelly can cost between £8,000 and £80,000, Vintage Kelly handbags have sold for prices close to the newer editions but some modern resales can be an absolute steal if you’re lucky.
Like the Kelly, Birkin bags are handmade, coming in four standard sizes. An artisan, typically in France, will use a traditional saddle stitching method to piece together the high-quality heritage leather with waxed linen thread. It’s then buffed and painted. The hardware is added with Hermès’ specialist ‘pearling’ technique. This process can take up to 20 hours.
The craftsmanship is more than impressive, with each bag being thoroughly inspected and then stamped with the year, workshop, and artisan (look out for this when buying). The large flap and flat bottom design is instantly recognisable.
The Birkin is a status symbol and a true legend of modern fashion. When people think about luxury, this bag will pop into their minds. It may also be the bag you think about when you see the Hermès logo.
The story of the Birkin has an interesting beginning. It starts with actress, singer, and designer Jane Birkin sitting on a plane in 1984. Jane was a fashion inspiration to many but she was a mother of three and, at the time, she was on the hunt for a beautiful bag that could fit everything she needed for day-to-day life in it. On this flight, Jane happened to be sat next to Hermès’ then-chairman, Jean-Louis Dumas.
She discussed what she wanted from a bag and even ended up drawing her dream design on a vomit bag for him. The bag would then go into production and would be named after Jane. She would donate her royalties from this to charity.
Jane owned many of her namesake before her passing in 2023, but she only ever used one at a time, proving their quality by waiting years for each one to eventually wear out.
In its four decades of existence, the Birkin has become infamous. You can’t buy it online (new at least) and getting your hands on one isn’t as easy as walking into the store and just asking for one either. There’s a mystery and exclusiveness to it. You have to ask or be in the know.
There are rumours of waiting lists, hoops you have to jump through, and legal requirements to finally own a Birkin handbag, but if you do get to purchase one, it is definitely an investment. Yes, like all designer handbags, the price tag is hefty, but it is a lot more than that.
There are multiple colourway options and limited editions to pick from, with the most expensive Birkin to date being the Diamond Himalaya Birkin 30, which resold for over $450,000.
Birkin bags aren’t just owned by celebs like Beyonce, Eva Longora, Heidi Klum, Jonathan Van Ness, Lady Gaga, and Pharrell Williams – they’ve been seen with influential political figures and royals too.
Hermès Birkin bags increase in value the longer you own them. They aren’t just a collector’s item, they could genuinely be a smart financial investment if you’re able to buy one.
How much a Birkin bag costs remains part of the obsession. We’ve spoken about the most expensive edition but, prices for Birkins start at £11,000 and go up from there.
This is completely up to you. Both are absolutely stunning and come with a lot of fashion history. Birkins are bigger, so they might be better as an everyday bag, whereas the Kelly is a lovely choice for more formal and special events.
As mentioned, Birkins are harder to buy, but at the end of the day, you’ll be getting a high-quality, elegantly designed bag whichever your purchase.
If you’re looking to add a touch of luxury to your wardrobe with a quality designer bag, Your Dream Bag may be just what you’re looking for.
With our handpicked selection of designer handbags and accessories and easy-to-enter competitions, getting your hands on your next fashion fave is just a few clicks away.
June 5, 2025
May 14, 2025
May 8, 2025
