Hermes Kelly Bag: Evolution
The legendary French designer’s handbag is a legend. maison of Hermes, traces its bespoke origins back to 1852 with the launch of the Haut a Courroies (HAC), an equestrian saddle holder – a necessity at the time. Robert Dumas’ son-in law Emile Hermes redesigned the bag in the 1930s as the Sac a Depeches. The Sac a Depeches had a distinctive trapezoid-shaped bag, with two triangular gussets and a flap cut out. There was also a handle on the sac, as well as two side straps. Dumas was known for his boldness and modernism. With the launch of the iconic staple, he brought the house to a period of creative renaissance. He was chairman of the Hermes Group from 1978 to 2006. His creative influence on the brand is nothing short of remarkable.
In the late 1950s, Grace Kelly, the Hollywood starlet turned princess of Monaco (and by the way, who doesn’t love that story arch?) Grace Kelly was photographed wearing the Sac a Depeches to hide her nascent pregnancy. Overnight, the Sac a Depeches gained international recognition and fame. In a most appropriate manner, the handbag was renamed Kelly. As they say, the rest is history.
Kelly bags today come in a rainbow of colors. They are made of luxurious materials and have beautiful patterns. They even have special editions, which feature an artistic flare. Pink, lime green, black and white, as well as brown, pink, light blue or even light blue. Oh my! The Kelly comes in many sizes. They are numbered by the base measurement of centimeters. 35, 32 (the most popular), 28 (the chicest), 25 and 20 (small).