Hermès is undoubtedly the pinnacle of luxury [in the fashion world at least]. There are fairytale stories of how the brand's iconic bags were first designed and named, like that of the Hermès Kelly. Given that the trapezoidal bag was first seen in the 1930s, there’s not a huge amount of information on how or why it was designed, only that it was first named the “Sac à main de voyage” and was intended as a travel bag. In the present day, it is among the more formal handbags available in the market, but at the time of conception, the rigid shape was a revelation.
“Sac à main de voyage” just doesn’t really have a ring to it though, right? In comes Hollywood actress, and soon-to-be princess, Grace Kelly. The story goes that the costume designer on the set of Hitchcock’s ‘To Catch a Thief’, sourced some items from Hermès for the movie, and that’s how the actress’s love for the brand began. In saying that, it wasn’t until the actress later fell pregnant with her then-husband, Prince Albert of Monaco, that the bag was dubbed “The Kelly'' after she used it to hide her baby bump from the press, and was officially re-named by Hermès in 1977. As we all know, Kelly’s fairytale came to an abrupt end in 1952 when she suddenly passed away. However her glamorous, lasting legacy lives on through this bag; which ’til date is one of Hermès', and the fashion world's, most recognised designs.
Since then, the Kelly branch of Hermès has had many facets and designs, each corresponding to a different lifestyle and clientele. The classic model has two variations; Retourne & Sellier, and relates to how the bag is stitched during the 18-20 hour production process. The Sellier is the more rigid style, stitched from the outside edge and finished with resin for a polished, sophisticated look. The Retourne is stitched inside out and then flipped back into place, resulting in rounded edges and a more casual vibe. Both of these styles are available in a range of sizes; from the lesser-known Micro Kelly to the uber-popular celeb-favourite Mini Kelly and Mini Kelly II. In traditional sizing, the Kelly ranges through the numbers 25, 30, 35, 40; this number corresponds to the size [in centimetres] along the bottom edge.
Hermès are experts at coming up with new ways to pay homage to their designs, while still keeping up with new trends. Other offshoots of the Kelly are the Kelly Flag, Shoulder Kelly, Kelly Voyage, Kelly Relax, Kelly Cut, Kelly Doll, Kelly Longue, Kelly Pochette, Kelly Danse and Kelly To-Go. The sign of any lasting trend is its ability to conform to different lifestyles, something the Hermès Kelly has, and will continue to do; and we can’t wait to see what’s next!
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