When you think of Hermès, you probably think of the orange colored Hermès box. However, the first boxes were cream y white or beige with a gold trim. In 1942, Hermès could no longer obtain the imitation leather for its Hermès packaging. Instead, Cardboard boxes made of sturdy bright orange cardboard were used. Hence, in the 1960s, Hermès made the bright color to its flagship. The now iconic orange was born out of necessity, as the Color Guide and oldest Hermès colors include Rouge H. Also part of the uniqueness Color Guide are the color Noir, Blue Marine and Vert Anglais, while Gold and Parchemin were added later. Learn all about the color guide of this luxury brand during in my introduction to the many colors of Hermès.

The color guide at a glance

Hermès offers leather goods in classic colors as well as seasonal colors. The always-available Colors Guide essentially consists of nine basic colors, which include: shades of red, shades of blue, various shades of green, a palette of Hermès oranges, various shades of pink and purple, three shades of beige and yellow , and a wider range of browns, blacks and grey colors. Other colors in the color guide include gold, silver, bronze.

Rouge H: The oldest color of Hermès

Established in 1925, Rouge H – color code 46 – represents a rich, elegant dark red color tone with a hint of brown that ,looks like Bordeaux, depending on the light. Within the color guide, it among the reds the perfect color for autumn outfits and fits well with warm and cool colors. Further, blush H develops a very interesting effect when used with leather. Today, the shade Rouge H is also one of the sensual and very popular lipstick colors.

Among collectors, Hermès bags in the color Rouge H are in high demand. They achieve high prices at auctions ,in part because as models from the 1930s and 40s were made in this popular color. Bags from the Hermès Exceptional Collection in particular are extreme valuable pieces, as they combine two of the most important Hermès ateliers – leather goods and jewelry – and thus represent the pinnacle of luxury. For this collection, Hermès also selected Rouge H from the color guide, what resulted in the Birkin 30, made of crocodile leather in Rouge H color code with diamonds and fittings in 18 karat white gold.

The Hermès Orange: Color Code 93

The Hermès orange shade is simply known as Orange, Orange H or Classic Orange. In the extensive portfolio of Hermès colors, it has the color code 93. The shade is bright and clear, full of energy and verve. Simply unique, there is no Pantone equivalent to Hermès orange. Simply unique, there is no Pantone equivalent to Hermès orange.

In general, the color orange combines the power and passion of red with the sunny cheerfulness and optimism of yellow. In the Color Guide, Hermès orange is a color that gets associated with adventure and communication, self-confidence and enthusiasm. In color psychology, bright orange is linked to rejuvenating properties and protection from grief and disappointment.

Nowadays, orange is not only used for Hermès’ packaging, but can be found in all collections. Customers can choose this powerful color when ordering a Kelly bag. But also Hermès orange appears in the Carré collections in almost every season, whereas especially silk in Hermès orange exudes strength and courage.

A timeless classic: Gold 06

Hermès is a luxury brand that produces products for generations. In France, Hermès bags are passed down through generations, just like other leather goods from 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. For this tradition the color gold from the color guide just fits perfectly. It is one of the most popular colors of Hermès as it combines elegance and naturalness. Also interesting: Hermès gold became famous due to Grace Kelly!.

The shade of gold in combination with Barenia leather develops a particularly elegant caramel-colored patina over the years. The gold hue is harmoniously rounded off by fittings in gold. Thus , Hermès gold also belongs to the classic color guide and is often worn by stylish women, no matter if young or old.

When thinking about the beautiful Etoupe color, one could think that this is also related to gold, but when looking in more detail at the color, you quickly recognize that it has cooler tones. It is therefore easier to combine it with other colors. Generally, Etoupe is a grayish-brown taupe. Furthe rmore, as an alternative to gold and Etoupe, Etain is another popular shade in the Hermès Color Guide.

Parchemin: The perfect summer companion

Since the 1960s, the color guide of Fashion House Hermès contains there is the color Parchemin. It is a ladylike, pinkish cream without the harshness of pure white and has the color code 3C. However, , you won’t need to know that when shopping at Hermès as , everyone knows Parchemin. One great advantage of Parchemin is that both hardware alternatives gold and silver fit perfectly with this color. Alternatively, when you prefer a fresher and cleaner look you can go for the Craie or Beton colors in the color guide. These colors also look equally good with gold and silver fittings.

Eleganz in Noir 89

Not every black is the same, and when it comes to Hermès black 89,the other details are those that matter. A bag in the color code 89 becomes more rare especially and rare when the hardware has also been blackened. This is where Hermès refers to the “So Black” model. In the “So Black” collection, the black hardware designed by Jean Paul Gaultier has a very delicate PVD coating. Since these models were available only for a very short period, they are all the more sought after by collectors.

A small black Hermès bag is one of the models every Hermès collector should have as it is perfect for every occasion. You wanna go out and want to keep it sylish? Wear a black Hermès bag and you are going to be the most stylish person wherever you go.You want to keep it casual with jeans and a Blazer maybe? Once again, combine the outfit with your small black Hermès purse and you’ll look super stylish but still casual.The color of the original Birkin, designed for Jane Birkin herself, and the jet black noir leather are still in the colors guide the epitome of chic.

Rose Bubblegum, Himalaya, Vert Emeraude: Exotic Hermès Colors.

Each Hermès bag is designed for a specific woman and occasion. Same goes for the colors in the color guide. The most famous exotic shade from Hermès is by far Himalaya, which is a classy composition of snowy white and earthy taupe. Rather sensational is the color Pink Bubblegum – also known as 5P Pink in candy pink for strong, fun-loving women. A real eye-catcher.And if you think it always has to be particularly flashy, you’re wrong, because in the Color Guide, the emerald green Vert Emeraude is classy and, depending on the leather – in crocodile, for example, extremely eye- catching. The jewel-like depth of color is as refined as it is striking.

Color investments: These colors fetch top prices

Hermès launches a new limited edition color palette every season. Getting a handbag in a color of the season is already very difficult. What makes the investment uncertain, however, is that some colors just don’t take off. That’s where years of expert knowledge pays off, because pink and blue colors from the Hermès Color Guide usually always perform well. For low-volume models like Kelly Pochette or Kelly 25, these include Rose Sakura, Rose Azalea, Rose Tyrien, Rose Lipstick and Rose Scheherazade. And among the blue shades from the Color Guide, Bleu Electric and Bleu Saphir go down particularly well with the Birkin model.

Good to know

As you can see, the Hermès Color Guide is so versatile and detailed that it requires knowledge. Thus, the authenticity of a Hermès product can be recognized not only by its first-class workmanship and craftsmanship details, but also by its color. The Parisian luxury fashion house is famous for its bag collections. Whether Kelly or Birkin, they are all unmistakable icons and their colors bear the unique signature of Hermès. At Hermès, artisans are trained to create dyes to the brand’s exacting standards to ensure consistent quality over decades. However, depending on their texture and grain, leathers don’t always react the same way to a dye. So don’t expect a particular color to look the same on different bags and leathers.

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Our Bag Choice for You

A bag that is named after the legendary Grace Kelly. The most powerful women in the world are lining up to own one. We are talking about the legendary Kelly Bag from the French fashion house Hermès.

Kelly Bag: An icon in many variations

The Kelly Bag is a trapezoidal women’s handbag with a round handle and shoulder strap. Kelly Bag is basically available in two versions: Sellier as well as Retourne and in eight sizes: Kelly 15, Kelly 20, Kelly 25, Kelly 28, Kelly 32, Kelly 35, Kelly 40, Kelly 50.

Retourne is a model made of soft leather and has rounded edges, which requires more care due to the soft leather, as it is exposed more to the risk of getting damaged. It is widely known that this model is ideal for travel and everyday use. The Sellier is technically a bit more complex and costs therefore more than the Retourne model. A Kelly Sellier bag has an angular shape and sharp corners and is considered as a more elegant and formal model for ladies.

Of all the bags in the Hermès handbag collection, the Kelly Bag is probably the most diverse in terms of looks and feels. Of all the bags in the Hermès handbag collection, the Kelly Bag is probably the most diverse in terms of looks and feels. Despite the wide range of leathers and exotic leathers that are getting used to produce Hermès Kelly Bags, Kelly Bags are also made of leather-fabric blends such as canvas, suede and pony hair with various leather details. Hermès Kelly bags are the first handbags where Hermès experimented with color combinations: mixing colors – for example, two- and three-color bags in combinations of leather and suede, leather and canvas, leather and pony hair, leather and osier.

In addition, a certain number of special collections of the Kelly family were launched, such as the Kelly shoulder bag (also the Kelly Danse), the Kelly Cut, the Kelly Mini Pochette, the Kelly Ghillies and the Kelly Picnic. The range of eight Kelly models goes from the mini bag with a width of 15-20 cm to the 50 cm travel bag. The sizes Kelly 28, Kelly 32 and Kelly 35 are perfect for a casual wardrobe, whilst the Kelly 40 such as the Kelly 50 are good travel companions. The smaller sizes, i.e. Kelly 15, Kelly 20 and Kelly 25 are ideal for the evening.

In this article I will talk about the Kelly Mini Bags and the Kelly 25.

The Hermès Kelly 25 Bag

The Hermès Kelly 25 has been existing since at least the early 1960s. Specimens from that time are extremely rare and feature the full size plaque hardware rather than the mini version we see on Kelly 25 and 20 bags today. An interesting fact is that Kelly 20 bags have been found to date from an earlier period than Kelly 25 bags, although they featured miniaturized hardware from the beginning. While the lock, key, and clochette have always been part of the security of Kelly 25 bags, a shoulder strap was not introduced until recently for this model.

Between 1976 and 1990, the early Kelly 25 had a strap with an X buckle at the end. Also starting in 1971, you could get a wide canvas strap with an X buckle or a narrow leather strap with an X buckle. Nowadays, this wider strap made of canvas is known as the Amazon strap. Starting in 1991, the X buckle was replaced by a round buckle, which has remained unchanged ever since. Palladium hardware was first used on the Kelly Bags in 1998, and around 2000 a second loop was added to the handles to make the straps easier to use. Since 2000, virtually no changes have been made to the design of Kelly bags, with one exception: the redesign of the Mini Kelly 20.

The Hermès Kelly 20

The oldest known Hermès Kelly 20 dates back to 1957. Back then, it had a medium length shoulder strap. The Kelly 20 cm came in two versions: one with a short handle and a separate long strap, and another model with a long strap without separate straps. The iconic round top handle, which has led collectors to refer to it as a bracelet handle, was not introduced until 1980. It took the fashion house Hermès another ten years before they introduced the Kelly 20 in retourne, a model that is extremely rare today. The last known Kelly 20 bag dates back to 2009, but models after 2004 are extremely rare. A revised, slimmer version that Hermès launched in 2016 is the Mini Kelly – or Mini Kelly II. In this version, the top handle and depth have been reduced. Hermès Kelly 20 bags never came with locks, keys or clochettes, although the models have featured shoulder straps since their introduction. It is extremely rare to find vintage Kelly 20 bags with double loops, as they were not envisioned when they were modified at the turn of the century.

The Hermès Kelly 15

Hermès also produced two series of rare 15 cm micro Kelly bags. The first of these were created from 1984-1985 and then again from 1991-1992. These Kelly bags were mainly made in Courchevel, Box, Lizard and Crocodile and featured extra thin straps such as extra small hardware. In 2011, Hermès introduced a new design for the 15 cm Micro-Kelly, this time in conjunction with Christophe Lemaire’s Candy Collection. The bags were made mainly of Swift or Epsom leather, but there were also models made of Lizard leather. These Hermès Micro Kelly bags were joined by the unique 15 cm Hermès Birkin bags, exclusively made for the Candy Collection. In 2012/2013 the bag had its comeback known as the Kelly Soir. The 15 cm model features a strap, which makes the Kelly 15 very unique. It is very delicate, almost like a rope, with a spring clasp at both ends.

In the past five years, the demand for small Kelly models has increased tremendously. The hype around mini bags has been going on for a few years now, although it wasn’t that long ago that Hermès didn’t produce many of them due to lack of demand, as most customers were more interested in 32 and 35 cm bags.

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Our Bag Choice for You

Anyone who has ever bought an expensive handbag will say that it was not a waste, but a good investment. And even if that wasn´t the intention behind the purchase, you probably won’t be mistaken. There was a time when handbags – compared to traditional collectibles – were considered purchases with no chance of increasing in value. Now, however, an era of new values is beginning!

In this post, I want to tell you about the investment potential behind an Hermès handbag. Have fun with it!

Hermès Bag: a lucrative Investment

The interest in rare handbags as an investment came as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. Around the world, even wealthy people began to think more carefully about their expenditures. Investments became smarter and more thoughtful. People began to treat bags the same way they treat other luxury items – watches, jewelry, cars and paintings. Since then, a handbag from an international luxury brand like Hermès has become one of the most profitable consumer products with the potential to increase in value. As opposed to a car, the Hermès bag immediately increases in value after leaving the Hermès boutique. Even daily use can hardly affect the increase in value due to the masterful craftsmanship.

Luxury accessories as collectibles

Over the past 12 years, collector interest in rare accessories has increased, and the current crisis has also been good for the secondary luxury accessories market. In fact, at the moment it is the fastest growing sector in the world of collectors. Here, the offer and the available special editions play the central role in attracting new, younger collectors to the auctions. Today, in the ocean of the luxury secondary market, rare Hermès handbags are the tip of the iceberg. At Sotheby’s and Christie’s handbags of the French luxury brand regularly achieve new top prices. What makes an auction special is that the media world gets an exciting story behind the Hermès bag, and the bids create a new investment trend. And it looks like this will redefine the entire game of classic auctions. Ultimately, all Hermès models – both new in the boutiques and pre-owned pieces – will be viewed and valued in a whole new way under the prism of investment. And such an investment may – in the not too distant future – create a new hype in the business world.

New stars: Handbags break records at auctions

Despite global economic uncertainty, some luxury investments are enjoying popularity. Handbags are the biggest investment winners, up 20% in 12 months, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index (Wealth Report 2021). And the Hermès handbag even tops the Luxury Investment Index.

Laut Art Market Research (AMR) übertreffen Designer-Handtaschen in Bezug auf ihr Investitionspotenzial mittlerweile sogar Kunst, Oldtimer und seltene Whiskys. Some Hermès bags have even increased in value by an average of 83% over the past decade. According to the report, designer handbags sold at auctions last year for nearly $33 million. The ten most expensive Hermès handbags ever sold at auction were all crocodile leather Birkins. Most coveted bag? Of course, the Himalayan Birkin made of Niloticus crocodile leather, which resembles the snow-covered Himalayas. The most expensive Himalayan Birkin to date, with 18-karat white gold hardware and 245 diamonds, sold at auction at Christie’s for just under $380,000.

Passion for Hermès bags

Of course, there is a high percentage of Hermès customers who experience a great passion for their handbag collections and refuse to sell them once they are in their possession. The harder an Hermès bag is to acquire – whether because it is part of a limited edition or made of special materials – the more coveted it becomes. Nowadays, people around the world are buying Hermès handbags specifically to get an attractive return in a short period of time. Dieser Trend wird sich in den kommenden Jahren weiter manifestieren und langfristig unsere Wertschätzung für Hermès-Handtaschen verändern – auch Hermès beobachtet diese Entwicklung.

Handbags from other brands e.g. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Bottega Veneta and Fendi, followed by Gucci, are also going up with time. In general, the price of rare handbags has increased by 108% within a decade. However, Hermès occupies a very special place in the ranking: it is the number one brand for every major auction house and collector.

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Our Bag Choice for You

Many of you want this bag because it identifies a status and is cult, because it can be more than an accessory, because it has a noble look, because celebrities around the world wear it or because it is a stylish investment that can fetch top prices as a collector’s item at auction.

Here’s a little introduction to learn more about Hermès bags.

Grace Kelly und der Kelly-Taschen-Kult

The renowned saddlery Hermès was founded in France in 1837 to manufacture horse harnesses. It was only a century later, in 1935, that Robert Dumas designed a small women’s handbag called “Petit Sac Haut à Courroies,” which brought Hermès fame that can’t be counted up in numbers. For “Petit Sac Haut à Courroies” later became the “Kelly Bag” – named after Grace Kelly, the U.S. actress and beauty goddess from Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock, who became Princess of Monaco and went down in history as Princess Gracia Patricia of the independent city-state! Grace Kelly loved the trapezoidal bag with its dainty hardware and elegant handle. When Grace was pregnant with her daughter Caroline in 1956, she was seen around the US looking for the bag to hide her baby bump for a photo. The “Kelly Bag” cult began, which continues to this day.

The Birkin Legend

The Hermès Birkin Bag is named after the famous singer and actress Jane Birkin. According to the legend, the following scene happened: during a flight from Paris to London, Jane put her straw bag in the overhead compartment, but it fell on the floor and everything were scattered everywhere. The actress explained to Jean-Louis Dumas, who was on the same flight, how difficult it was to find a good leather weekend bag. Et voila: Dumas has drawn a bag on a napkin during the flight, which saw the light of day in 1984, became the next legend and the IT- bag for Kate Moss, Catherine Deneuve and Kylie Jenner: the Birkin Bag.

Hermès values tradition

Hermès is still an independent company, which means it is entirely family-owned, and the address Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is the Mecca for Hermès fans. In this way the company perpetuates the luxury, old craftsmanship and qualified staff. Hermès combines these two and keeps it traditional to preserve the luxurious Hermès quality that everyone adores also for future generations. And the way Hermès does it is ultimately for the best, as any company should!

Luxury for generations

Durability and longevity have always been priorities for the company. Hermès leather handbags can be passed down from generation to generation with a classy vintage patina. Even though the leather will be a bit cracked after many years, this is not a flaw, but a mark of time that makes the bag even more attractive and embellishes it.

Love and patience: handmade noblesse

All bags produced by Hermès are handmade and come as close to perfection as a human- made bag can be. In our automated world, handmade goods have become the ultimate luxury. The family-owned business has standards that ensure that the leather is 100% flawless, the metal hardware is free of scratches, and the stitches are precision-fit – the artisans work on each stitch, in the traditional handicraft way, with a needle in hand. The special challenge is that the same stitch is sewn with two needles at the same time. This is a time-consuming process that requires a great deal of experience and patience on the part of the craftsman. It takes a highly skilled Hermès employee at least 40 hours to make a single bag.

Exclusivity

Although the Hermès bag costs a lot, Hermès makes sure that you always get what you pay for! Even the vintage bags always look luxurious because of the fine materials and careful craftsmanship. The main advantage of the house of Hermès is not only the craftsmanship, design, quality or recognizable style, but also the status of the unattainable, because long waiting list and rare special models make Hermés bags the ultimate luxury item. Hermès doesn’t give away its bags to anyone, including celebrities. Every single bag a celebrity owns is fully paid for and loved all the more.

Limited edition

The number of bags Hermès produces each year is strictly limited. And it is not an artificial attempt to create a rush, but the result of objective reasons. In a world where buying even a classic bag requires patience from the customer, there is also a very special niche for the rarest models. Those who know about such things want special models, limited editions, the bags made of unusual materials and in sizes that Hermès actually no longer produces.

Since Hermès bag production is incredibly limited and there are waiting lists that go on for years – we all remember the “Sex and The City” episode, don’t we? – collectors are often willing to pay two to two-and-a-half times the retail price of a bag once it hits the resale market. And all this together results in a rich and exciting Hermès heritage.

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Our Bag Choice for You