Hermès

Few houses reward a closer look quite like Hermès. Founded in Paris in 1837 by Thierry Hermès as a harness workshop, the house still builds its leather goods the way it once built saddles: by hand, one artisan to one bag, using the saddle stitch that gives every seam its quiet, slightly angled strength. That heritage shapes everything we look for when a Hermès piece arrives in our studio.

Key facts

Founded	1837, Paris
Signature technique	Hand saddle stitch (point sellier), waxed linen thread
Icons	Kelly, Birkin, Constance, Evelyne, Picotin, Garden Party; Clic H bracelet; silk carré
Common leathers	Togo, Epsom, Clémence, Swift, Chèvre, Box calf, Barenia
Hardware finishes	Gold-plated, palladium-plated, rose gold, brushed and permabrass
Identifying marks	Heat stamp "Hermès Paris Made in France", year/craftsman blindstamp

From saddlery to the Kelly

Hermès began with harnesses and saddles for Parisian carriages. When the motor car arrived, the house moved its craft into luggage and handbags, adding the zip to its leather goods in the 1920s after Émile-Maurice Hermès secured an early licence for it in France. The Haut à Courroies, a tall bag made for carrying a saddle, became the ancestor of the Birkin. The smaller sac à dépêches became the Kelly, renamed informally after Grace Kelly was photographed with one in 1956.

The bags most often asked about

• Kelly: structured, single top handle, flap with turn-lock. Sellier versions have exterior stitching and crisp edges; Retourne versions are stitched inside out for a softer silhouette. Read the Kelly guide.
• Birkin: designed in 1984 for Jane Birkin. Two handles, open flap, straps with clochette, lock and keys. Read the Birkin guide.
• Constance: named after the daughter of a designer born the day it was finished, with the H clasp front and centre. Read the Constance guide.
• Kelly To Go: a wallet-on-strap that brings the Kelly's turn-lock to an everyday format. Read the Kelly To Go guide.
• Evelyne, Picotin and Garden Party: the relaxed, everyday side of the house, usually in Clémence or Togo.

Leathers, in brief

Hermès names its leathers precisely, and the choice changes how a bag wears.

• Togo: grained calf, scratch-resistant, holds its shape well; the most common Birkin leather.
• Epsom: embossed, lightweight and rigid, with crisp edges; keeps colour well.
• Clémence: a heavier, flatter grain than Togo; slouches attractively over time.
• Swift: smooth and fine-grained, with rich colour; shows marks more readily.
• Chèvre (goatskin): including Chèvre Mysore and Chamkila; fine, pebbled and very durable, often used for small leather goods.
• Box calf: the original glazed leather; develops a deep patina, and is sensitive to water.

See our glossary for exotic leathers and finishes.

What we look at in a pre-loved Hermès

Every Hermès piece we offer has been inspected by our specialists. The headline checks are:

1. Stitching: even, slightly slanted saddle stitches, consistent tension, a neat finish at the handle bases.
2. Heat stamp: crisp, evenly spaced letters, the right finish for the hardware (gold stamp with gold hardware, for example), and the right wording for the era.
3. Blindstamp: a letter for the year of manufacture (sometimes in a shape) and the craftsman's mark, placed where we would expect them for the model and era.
4. Hardware: weight, engraving depth and finish; lock and keys that match.
5. Leather and edges: grain behaving as the named leather should, with edges painted cleanly by hand.

Our Hermès authentication guide goes deeper, and how we grade condition explains the terms you'll see on each listing.

Caring for Hermès leather

Store bags stuffed lightly with acid-free paper, in their dust bag, upright and out of direct light. Keep handles from bearing weight in storage, and keep the clochette off the leather to avoid impressions. Box calf and Swift dislike rain; Togo and Epsom are more forgiving. For anything beyond a soft dry cloth, ask a specialist. See caring for Hermès leathers.