New Hermès Gold Togo 35cm Kelly
View Similar Items
New Hermès Gold Togo 35cm Kelly
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 10 in (25.4 cm)Width: 5 in (12.7 cm)Length: 13.75 in (34.93 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: HER041101RO1stDibs: LU47834424553
Kelly Bag
In 1837, Thierry Hermès (1801–78) founded his eponymous luxury goods company in Paris as a saddle manufacturer, serving the era’s carriage trade. In 1880, under the stewardship of Thierry's son Émile-Charles, fine riding gear was added to its offerings to complement the saddles. The company expanded their workshops to design handbags nearly half a century later. The Kelly bag, originally introduced as the Sac à dépêches (“the dispatch bag”) in 1935, was created by Robert Dumas, son-in-law to Thierry's grandson Émile-Maurice Hermès.
Designed for independent women who wanted a piece that was both luxurious and efficient, the Kelly bag has a trapezoid shape, two triangular gussets, a sculpted flap and handle. To this day, the understated bag comprises 36 individual leather pieces, 16 studs and a signature padlock and leather key cover, with three layers of leather at the base to ensure the bag can stand upright. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
The Kelly bag earned its name during preproduction on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film, To Catch a Thief. Costume designer Edith Head sourced products from Hermès to outfit actress Grace Kelly, who fell in love with the Sac à Dépêches and continued to carry it long after the movie wrapped. Months after marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, she was spotted carrying a brown pigskin Sac to shield her pregnancy from the paparazzi. And while the oft-repeated claim that Kelly and her bag appeared on a Life magazine cover isn’t true, photography of the actress and her cherished accessory began to appear everywhere at the time, and the bag’s profile suddenly skyrocketed.
In 1977 Hermès officially changed the item’s name to the Kelly bag. Less than a decade later, Hermès introduced another handbag to its line, also named after a style symbol, the Birkin bag. The Paris-based British actress Jane Birkin sat next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas — Robert's son — on an Air France flight. He noticed her overflowing handbag, and she told him she longed for “a handbag that is bigger than the Kelly but smaller than Serge’s suitcase,” in reference to her then-romantic partner, the French musician Serge Gainsbourg. The Birkin bag was created in 1984, joining the Kelly in Hermès’ permanent collection.
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.
- Hermès Bolide 27 Epsom Rouge HBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis classic Hermès bag comes in the tone rouge h. It has two handles but you can also attached the woven strap which colors match perfectly the bag. Strap was...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Birkin 35 Rouge H ClemenceBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermes birkin 35 rouge H clemence with palladium hardware, partial plastic on hardware. Excellent condition, date stamp L. Comes with clochette, tirett...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- Hermes 30 Ghillies Turquoise Birkin BagBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès 30cm Ghillies Birkin in turquoise Togo and swift leather with palladium hardware. T stamp for 2015. Handle drop, 4"L. Excellent condition, used only a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- 2018 New Rare Hermes Birkin 35 Vert Cypress OfficeirBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermes collectible officier Birkin 35 cm in vert cypress togo leather with blue zellige swift stripes and interiors. Palladium hardware. Date stamp C for ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Rare Hermes 30 Birkin Ghilies Anemone BagBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermes pristine and rare Birkin 30 ghillies togo anemone and swift leather and palladium hardware. T stamp for 2015. Handle drop 4". Excellent conditio...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
- Hermes Rose Indienne Doblis Rose Azalee Lizard Sterling Silver Lid Stromboli BagBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLGuaranteed authentic Limited Edition Hermes Stromboli bag. Rare Rose Indienne Doblis (suede) accentuated with Rose Azalee Lizard. Strap is held by Ste...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- 2008 Hèrmes Birkin 35 Hevercalf Trench Top HandleBy HermèsLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITIconic Hermès bag, Birkin model size 35, made in Trench-colored Hevercalf leather with silver hardware. The bag has a front flap equipped with a twist lock with two side bands. Equip...Category
Early 2000s Top Handle Bags
- Roberta Di Camerino Vintage Leather and Velvet BagBy Roberta Di CamerinoLocated in Milano, ITSuper elegant small velvet handbag designed by Marina Di Camerino in the 1970s, fine Italian craftsmanship. ORIGINAL LABEL. The handbag is small and is suitable for evening or gala events, given its timeless elegance. The handbag has a small rectangular body, with a stiffer bottom, totally made of brown leather, with a red velvet insert decorative element.The small handle ring is also made of brown leather, very chic. The handbag has a clip closure, in fact it opens through a special interlocking. The clasp is made of gold metal, with a small tab...Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- 1950’s Light Pink Corde-Bead Bubble Handbag by LumuredLocated in Greenport, NY1950’s Light Pink Corde-Bead Bubble Handbag by Lumured Soft pink purse with white bubble beads in diamond pattern. Sweet rhinestone detail on metal cl...Category
1950s Top Handle Bags
- Whimsical Quirky Wine Cork Wood Box Purse Handbag c 1980sLocated in University City, MOWhimsical wine cork wood box purse handbag c 1980s The quirky wood box purse is decorated with a collection of wine bottle corks on both exterior front &...Category
1980s Unknown Novelty Bags
- Spring Theme Handbag by Soure' with Woodland Animals Print Fabric on Front PanelLocated in Chicago, ILThis spring theme handbag by Soure' has a two layer construction with a clear vinyl sheet on top of the fabric layer. The printed design of birds in trees and woodland animals...Category
1950s American Novelty Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Iconic Hermès Bag Is Made from an Unexpected Material: Wood
From a house that specializes in covetable objects, this version of the Kelly is the rarest of finds.
A Short History of the World’s Most Iconic Designs
Of the million-plus items on 1stdibs, some seem to have transcended time, looking as fresh today as when they were first produced. The pieces highlighted on our new Iconic Designs page stand out for longevity, functionality and quality of design and manufacture — just the tonic for the present unsettled moment.