Hermes Black Kelly 28 Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Design:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Athens, GA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU997320513162
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: Athens, GA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Hermes Gold Kelly 28 Sellier BagBy HermèsLocated in Athens, GAHermes Gold Kelly 28 Bag. Sellier epsom leather. Beautiful gold tan color. Most wanted combination. Gold on gold. Like new condition. Never used. Includes clochette, lock, keys, and ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoulder Bags
- Hermes Kelly 25 Swift Etoupe BagBy HermèsLocated in Athens, GAHermes Etoupe Swift Kelly 25 Bag. Brand new 2023 Kelly 25 Bag. Stunning smooth swift leather. Hard to get etoupe color. Great neutral color. Gold hardware. Rare small size 25 Kelly. ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Silver Metallic Jumbo BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Silver Metallic Jumbo Double Flap Bag. Excellent condition. Unique silver lambskin leather bag. Silver hardware. Classic style bag with rare silver leather. Collector's piece....Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel Burgundy Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Burgundy Tote Bag. Caviar leather. Excellent condition. Tote bag includes leather pouch inside. Great tote bag for everyday and travel. Interi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Tote Bags
- Fendi Crocodile White First BagBy FendiLocated in Athens, GAFendi Medium size First Bag. Made of exotic natural crocodile leather painted white. Interior is lined in soft nappa leather. Palladium silver hardware details. The strap can be take...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoulder Bags
- Hermes Capucine Kelly 32 BagBy HermèsLocated in Athens, GAHermes Capucine Kelly 32 Bag. Gorgeous poppy orange red color. Looks like new. Excellent condition. Togo leather. Gold hardware. Very vibrant color that pops. Kelly are high in deman...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Bright Purple Lambskin Small 19 Bag with Mixed metal HardwareBy ChanelLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Chanel Purple Lambskin Small 19 Bag is in pristine condition. Released in 2019, the pillowy soft oversized quilts and mixed metals are a beautiful addition to the cla...Category
2010s European Structured Shoulder Bags
- Prada Saffiano Lux Promenade Top Handle BagBy Miuccia Prada, PradaLocated in Scottsdale, AZThis Prada Saffiano Promenade handbag is the definition of understated elegance! Prada presents a neutral rendition of their iconic Promenade handbag in this versatile beige shade complimented by yellow gold hardware. The structure of this handbag is so sleek and modern, and the inside is so functional that you are never going to get enough wear out of this handbag. The inside is broken up into 3 different sized compartments all designed with different pockets/storing features to ensure your belongings stay organized and secure! Lined with the most stunning Prada logo satin, this bag is as luxurious as it is wearable! Pair this with an Hermes skirt...Category
2010s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Louis Vuitton Blue Escale Monogram Coated Canvas & Blue Calfskin Leather NéoNoéBy Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLouis Vuitton Blue Escale Monogram Coated Canvas & Blue Calfskin Leather NéoNoé MM Brand- Louis Vuitton Model- NéoNoé MM Product Type- Shoulder Serial Number- SP**** Age- Circa 2020...Category
2010s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Black Lambskin Leather Quilted Large 19 Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in New York, NYChanel Black Lambskin Leather Quilted Large 19 Bag Made In: France Year of Production: 2020 Color: Black Hardware: Antiqued goldtone, ruthenium, and dark silver Materials: Leather, ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel 2020 Blue/White/Black Nylon Maxi Scarf Chanel 19 Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in New York, NYChanel Blue/White/Black Nylon Maxi Scarf Chanel 19 Flap Bag Made In: Italy Year of Production: 2020 Color: Blue, white, black, pink Hardware: Goldtone, silvertone, ruthenium Materi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Bottega Veneta Dustry Rose Lambskin Small Shoulder Bag w/ Suede LiningBy Bottega VenetaLocated in West Palm Beach, FLBottega Veneta Dustry Rose Lambskin Small Shoulder Bag w/ Suede Lining. This lovely bag is in good condition with some wear consistent with its age and a zipper that is worn. It fe...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoulder 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.