Welcome to the Bag Battles: Hermès Kelly Vs Hermès Birkin!
When looking for a designer bag, sometimes there are so many similar styles it is hard to choose the right one for you! With that in mind I present to you the Bag Battles! On this series of posts I’ll be presenting you two similar luxury bags with all the information necessary for you to make the right decision. And we’ll compare two of the most beautiful and iconic bags in the world! So without farther ado are is the battle between the Hermès Kelly and the Hermès Birkin!
The History of the Kelly Bag:
In 1935 Émile-Maurice Hermès diversified the brands offerings designing a bag for his wife to carry. Called the Sac à Dépêches the bag was practical and elegant with a classic style. The accessory achieved worldwide recognition in 1956 when the American actress and princess of Monaco Grace Kelly used her Sac à Dépêches to cover her pregnant belly. As soon as the photo of that is published on the cover of Life Magazine women from all over the world start running to Hermès asking for the Kelly Bag. In response the brand changed the bags name to the Kelly, and history was made.
Today an icon of elegance and sophistication, the Kelly is one of the most sought-after bags on the resale market, not only for its timeless style but also for the enduring allure of the woman it is named after. The top handle silhouette is one of the most classic bags ever designed, it is also an amazing investment selling for multiple times its original value.
The History of the Birkin Bag:
One of the most sought-after and iconic bags in the world, the history of the Birkin bag is one worth getting to know! In 1983 the then creative director of Hermès Jean-Louis Dumas set next to the actress and socialite Jane Birkin on an international flight. When stowing her luggage on the upper-head compartment, she accidentally dropped the straw tote she was wearing, leaving her personal belongings scattered on the flor. Dumas asked why she traveled with such straw tote, she explained that most leather bags were too structured for her taste. She wanted something more boho, so Dumas designed her a bag fit for traveling, drawing it on the back of a napkin. And so, the Birkin was created!
This was a bag intended to be worn again and again during travels and running errands, it was an everyday kind of bag that would be a practical companion. Of course that changed with time, today the Birkin is a luxury good cherished by those who own it.
What is so special about Hermès Bags?
Hermès was founded in 1837 as a harness workshop in Paris, and the techniques that for two centuries were used to craft the highest quality saddles are still seen today in the ateliers where Hermès craftsmen and women stitch and sew Birkin and Kelly handbags by hand. It takes a single expert craftsman up to 40 hours to produce a Birkin bag. That is why it is so precious, you cannot find better quality!
The stitch on which the brand’s reputation is based — the saddle — cannot be replicated by a machine. It takes two needles simultaneously passing through the same seam to produce a Birkin. If done correctly, the saddle stitch will never unravel — whether it is on a saddle or on a Birkin. Hermès bags are usually the ones that best hold their value when you resell them, sometimes selling for multiple times their original value, that is why they can be considered an investment.
And the winner is…
The Birkin and the Kelly are undoubtedly some of the best designer bags ever created, both would be amazing additions to any handbag collection. Both bags are sold on Hermès stores for prices between $9,000 and $12,000, and on the resale market from anywhere between $10,000 to $30,000. So if both are classic designs and cost around the same, how would you choose the best one? Of course all comes down to taste, but here I’ll make a case for the Kelly. The oldest bag of the brand, because of its history and elegant design, is in my opinion the superior Hermès bag. The Kelly has a timeless, classy and refined style that will always be iconic!
And there you have it! Between the Kelly and the Birkin, the former is the winner of the Bag Battles: Hermès Kelly Vs Hermès Birkin!
