Kelly

The Kelly is the older of the two great Hermès bags. It began in the 1930s as the Sac à dépêches, a trapezoidal bag with a single handle and a strap, and took its present name in 1977 after photographs of Grace Kelly using one had already made it famous by association.

The first choice is construction, and it changes the bag entirely. A Sellier is stitched with the seams turned outward, which gives crisp edges, a formal line and a bag that stands unaided; it is usually cut in Epsom, the stiffer grained calfskin. A Retourne is stitched and then turned, softening every edge, and it slouches gently in Togo or Clemence. Sellier reads dressed; Retourne reads carried. Our stock leans Sellier, though both are well represented.

Sizes run from the 25 through the 28 and 32 to the 35, and the number refers to the width in centimetres across the base. The 25 has become the most requested and the hardest to find. The 28 is the everyday size. The 32 and 35 belong to the bag's older, roomier character.

Every Kelly comes with a shoulder strap, a lock, keys and a clochette, and their presence and condition matter to value. So does the year stamp, which we quote wherever it remains legible.

On a pre-owned Kelly, look first at the four base corners and the handle, then at the strap keepers and the flap edge, because those are where a carried bag shows its history. Sellier bags show corner wear sooner than Retourne, being stiffer. If you are still deciding between constructions, our guide to Sellier or Retourne sets them side by side, and Birkin or Kelly compares the two houses' icons directly.