Hermes Kelly Depeches 36 Matte Havane Porosus Crocodile Briefcase Palladium
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Design:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 36 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Miami, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU58818222192
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. Hermès eventually expanded their workshops to design handbags in the years that followed. 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 a 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, Kelly 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 top-handled bag 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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Miami, FL
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Goyard Universal Companion Portfolio / Briefcase Black / Brown NewBy GoyardLocated in Miami, FLGuaranteed authentic Goyard Universal Companion featured in Black canvas with Tan leather trim. This portfolio is light and sleek, and borro...Category
2010s French Briefcases and Attachés
- Hermes Kelly Depeches 38 Briefcase Electric Blue Palladium HardwareBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers an Hermes coveted Kelly Depeches 38 briefcase. Very rare in Electric Blue. Epsom leather with Palladium hardware. Two large accord...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Briefcases and Attachés
- Hermes Sac A Depeche HSS 27 Bag Limited Edition Electric Blue/Rose Jaipur EpsomBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers a very rare Hermes Limited Edition Sac a Depeche 27 HSS Horizons bag / briefcase. Vibrant Electric Blue and Rose Jaipur in Epsom ...Category
2010s French Briefcases and Attachés
- Hermes Sac A Depeche 27 Bag Limited Edtion HSS Blue Nuit / Etain Togo GoldBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers a guaranteed authentic very rare Sac a Depeche 27 HSS Horizons Limited Edition bag / briefcase. Rich Blue Nuit and Etain in Togo l...Category
2010s French Briefcases and Attachés
- Hermes Kelly Depeche HSS 38 Briefcase Blue Electric Gold Hardware Epsom LeatherBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers an Hermes coveted Kelly Depeches HSS 38 briefcase. Very rare in striking, vivid Bleu Electrique. Epsom leather with rich gold hardware. Two large accordion compar...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Briefcases and Attachés
- Hermes Rodeo PM Bag Charm Black / Blue Sapphire / GoldBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers an Hermes Rodeo PM bag charm in Black, Blue Sapphire and Gold. Charming and playful she easily adorns a myriad bag colors i...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Wallets and Small Accessories
- Chanel In The Classic Flap Vintage Large Business Shoulder Briefcase Black BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel So Black Vintage Caviar Large Business Travel Bag Year: 1991 {VINTAGE 31 Years} Gold hardware CC turn lock logo at front Crossbody Strap Leather black interior Two main inte...Category
1990s Italian Briefcases and Attachés
- Chanel 1992 Vintage Black Diamond Quilted Work Laptop Briefcase BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Vintage Black Diamond Quilted Work Laptop Briefcase Bag circa 1992 black lambskin diamond quilting single flat top handle front flap closure push-lock fastening main compart...Category
1990s Italian Briefcases and Attachés
- 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
- Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Bisten 80By Louis VuittonLocated in New York, NYListing Title: Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Bisten 80 SKU: 130939 MSRP: 11500.00 Condition: Pre-owned Handbag Condition: Very Good Condition Comments: Item is in very good conditio...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Briefcases and Attachés
- Vintage Louis Vuitton Taiga Leather Pilot BriefcaseBy Louis VuittonLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in travel bag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Louis Vuitton always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. The beautiful circa 2004 briefcase takes timeless creation to a new level of sophistication and charm. Made from the finest materials that you would expect from the Louis Vuitton House...Category
Early 2000s French Briefcases and Attachés
- Chrome Hearts Black Leather Small Briefcase with Cross HardwareBy Chrome HeartsLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Chrome Hearts Black Leather Small Briefcase is in pristine condition. Textured black leather with dark silver hardware and fluted point cross embellishments. PBF ...Category
2010s Briefcases and Attachés
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.