Hermès · Tier 1
Catalogued June 2026
Originally launched in 1935 as the 'Sac à Dépêches,' designed under Robert Dumas, with a trapezoidal silhouette, single reinforced handle, four brass feet, and a flap top secured by a double-belted turn-lock closure. The bag is older than the Birkin (which was introduced in 1984) by roughly five decades. It gained its current name after actress and Princess Grace Kelly was photographed carrying one to shield her pregnancy from paparazzi in the 1950s; Hermès officially renamed the style for her in 1977. Each Kelly is handmade by a single artisan and reportedly takes 18–25 hours and roughly 680 hand stitches to complete.
Tap to switch. The heart saves the combination you’re viewing.
Save it to your closet, and we’ll alert you when it dips below the typical resale price.
Create accountWhat the house has produced this bag in, from our sourced records.
Material
Togodefault, Clemence, Epsom, Swift, Box Calf, Chevre Mysore
Seasonal: Barenia, Lizard, Ostrich, Niloticus Crocodile, Porosus Crocodile, Alligator
Construction
Retournedefault, Sellier
Hardware
The Hermès Kelly 28 is a structured bag, originally retailing around $14,400. It measures 22 cm (8.7 in) high, 28 cm (11 in) wide, 10 cm (3.9 in) deep. Authentication: Sellier construction means the bag is built stitched-side-out then NOT turned inside out: leather edges fold outward, producing crisp, sharp corners and a rigid, boxy silhouette that holds its shape standing upright unsupported.
Hermès · Kelly · 28
Best listed right now: $11,500 on The RealReal, around the typical price (median $14,995).
Prices have been trending up over the tracked window.
By condition · compared like-for-like
By production era · decade
Resale by production era: 6 listings, estimated from recorded prices.
Estimated from recorded resale prices (28 with condition unrecorded) · not an appraisal. As of 2026-07-13.
Compare where to buy →of 503 styles in the LC Index
Our index, not a verdict. How we rank
The three measures behind #2
Markers to check, not a verdict. The Hermès guide →
A checklist drawn from the catalogued production records, serial tags, and authentication notes for this variant. These checks help you know what to look for; they don’t replace an in-hand inspection by a qualified authenticator.
The words, in plain terms: Date code: the small letters-and-numbers production tag (not a serial number) · Blind stamp: a small embossed mark recording year and workshop · Creed patch: the leather tag sewn inside the bag · Sellier: built with the stitching outside, for crisp structured edges · Retourné: stitched inside out, for a softer rounded look · Turn-lock: the twisting metal closure · Hardware: the metal parts: zips, clasps, chains, feet
Authentication markers
Sellier construction means the bag is built stitched-side-out then NOT turned inside out: leather edges fold outward, producing crisp, sharp corners and a rigid, boxy silhouette that holds its shape standing upright unsupported. Exterior saddle stitching is visible, even, and tight along all structural seams. Hand stitches should be uniform in length and tension, never machine-straight or sloppy. Epsom is a stiffer, embossed, structured calfskin chosen specifically for sellier construction because it holds a crisp shape and resists slouching; it has a fine, consistent cross-hatch grain (engraved, not natural) and noticeably less give than Togo or Clemence. Note: as of the 2026 US price adjustment, Hermès priced Kelly 28 the same across Sellier and Retourné construction and across Togo/Epsom; historically Sellier carried a premium due to more labor-intensive construction.
Known markers (Production record)
Get it authenticated by a pro
Coming soonWe’re lining up verified authenticators to inspect bags in hand. Want first access when it launches?
What this bag is made of. Tap any part to explore the rest of the catalog.
A 1930s bag for carrying saddles became the first It bag the day a princess used it to hide a pregnancy.
Origin
The Kelly began in the 1930s when Hermès shrank a bag built to hold saddles into a structured handbag for women, the Sac à dépêches, launched in 1935. Simple, solid and roomy, it was made to carry a lot in a refined shape.
SourcesWikipedia
Culture
Grace Kelly fell for the bag while filming To Catch a Thief in 1954. In 1956, newly the Princess of Monaco, she was photographed using it to shield her pregnant belly from the cameras. Sales jumped overnight and the bag became the first true luxury It bag.
SourcesWikipedia
Articles on the Kelly and Hermès from our verified experts.
Hermès uses no serial number, so the blind stamp, the craftsman's mark, and the hand saddle-stitch carry the read. The era cutoffs and hardware tells that matter on a Birkin or Kelly, and why no marker is proof.
By Arielle · Birkin
The French names and official codes behind Hermès shades, cross-checked and honestly flagged where a code is missing. Durable vocabulary, not a live availability feed.
By Arielle · July 8, 2026 · Birkin
On resale the two cost almost the same size-for-size, so the real choice is shape and how you carry it. What each lists for now, and the steep small-size premium on both.
By Arielle · June 27, 2026
This bag is a rare find.
The Luxury Catalog is built by the people who carry these bags. If you own this one, add a photo and tell us what it shows. Yours could become the photo everyone sees here.
Authentication:Sellier-specific markers beyond the general Hermès blind stamp system: crisp, perfectly even exterior saddle stitching with no skipped or uneven stitches; structured shape that holds itself upright without slumping; sharp, defined corners (vs. the rounded corners of retourne). Blind stamp should be small (a few millimeters), crisply embossed directly into the leather with no ink, and consistent in depth — a poorly stamped, oddly placed, or ink-filled stamp is a red flag for counterfeits.
+30%
$14,995 → $19,500 across 45 recorded sales
2026-06 – 2026-07
Dashed line = $14,400 original retail. Recent sales trade at or above retail (+35%).
Estimated from recorded resale prices · not an appraisal or investment forecast. Values can go down as well as up.
Original boutique price (MSRP) by year, not resale value. Up 13% from $10,200 in 2023 to $11,560 in 2024.
+13%
$10,200 → $11,560 across 2 recorded retail prices
2023-01 – 2024-01
Original boutique prices (MSRP) from published sources · not resale value.
Classic permanent color, offered in both gold and palladium hardware (a customer/era choice, not fixed). Source: Rebag, Romestation, JaneFinds, SACLAB (snippet-level).
Box Calf is the original signature Kelly leather (dates to the 1890s; Grace Kelly's bag). Source: PurseBop, Privé Porter, The Luxury Closet, SACLAB.
Documented in both Togo and Epsom (e.g. JaneFinds Kelly 28 Sellier Gold Epsom GHW). Source: Romestation, JaneFinds, Rebag.
Hermès orange box
Auth: Box alone never authenticates a bag; should be considered alongside dust bag, receipt, and the bag's own stamps.
Pre-filled searches on the major resale platforms. Listings and prices are set by each reseller. What protects you at each venue
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Selling is a trade: top dollar takes patience, fast cash costs you margin, keeping it all costs you the safety net.
See what you'd keep at each venueThe Hermès Kelly run through every venue's real published fees, ranked by what lands in your pocket.Or start a sale now
Sell fast for cash
An instant buyout quote. Less than top dollar, but paid on receipt.
Consign for more
Listed for you and paid when it sells, after commission. Usually nets more than a buyout.
Grained leather is forgiving, but it still likes a gentle clean and the odd condition.
Leather cleaner
A mild cleaner that lifts everyday grime before it sets into the grain.
Find on Amazon →Leather conditioner
Puts moisture back so the leather stays supple instead of drying and cracking.
Find on Amazon →Protectant spray
An invisible barrier that helps the bag shrug off water and light stains.
Find on Amazon →Our picks are a starting point. Test anything new on a hidden spot first. Some Amazon links are affiliate links.
See the full care shelf →Golddefault, Palladium
Seasonal: Permabrass, Ruthenium, Rose Gold, So Black
Permanent finishes are offered year-round; seasonal ones rotate and retire. A finish being listed here doesn’t mean we have one for sale right now.
Sellier-specific markers beyond the general Hermès blind stamp system: crisp, perfectly even exterior saddle stitching with no skipped or uneven stitches; structured shape that holds itself upright without slumping; sharp, defined corners (vs. the rounded corners of retourne). Blind stamp should be small (a few millimeters), crisply embossed directly into the leather with no ink, and consistent in depth — a poorly stamped, oddly placed, or ink-filled stamp is a red flag for counterfeits.
Date code format (Production record)
Hermès blind stamp system, same letter-in-shape format used across Birkin and Kelly. No shape used 1945–1970 (letter alone). Circle-enclosed letter used 1971–1996. Square-enclosed letter used 1997 through the early-to-mid 2010s. A new blind stamp system began transitioning in late 2014, fully implemented by 2015; PurseBop and similar collector resources track the current letter assignment year by year but the exact post-2015 format (and the current 2025/2026 letter) was not independently re-verified in this pass.
Stamp placement (Production record)
Blind stamp (craftsman ID + date stamp) located inside the bag. Placement changed by era: pre-~2016 it was commonly heat/blind-stamped under or inside the left closure strap; from ~2016 onward it moved to the interior left side, upper area, close to the back flap. Sources are not perfectly consistent year-by-year, so treat as era-approximate. (The four-era shape system: no shape 1945-1970, circle 1971-1996, square 1997-2014, no shape again 2015-present.)
creed stamp
Blind stamp combining a craftsman ID (workshop/artisan identifier) and a date stamp encoded as a letter, historically enclosed in a shape that changed by era: no shape 1945–1970, circle 1971–1996, square 1997 to roughly 2014, with a new system transitioning in 2014–2015. The exact current (2025/2026) letter-year mapping was not independently re-verified in this pass. · placement: Interior of the bag, near the turn-lock hardware mount or left interior wall near the back of the flap depending on era; exact placement is reported somewhat inconsistently across collector sources. · The letter indicates production year per Hermès's published (collector-reconstructed) date stamp tables; the surrounding shape (or lack of one) narrows the era. A separate craftsman number/code identifies the individual workshop or artisan.
How we source & verify
Every record above is research-sourced and confidence-rated (the low/medium/high/verified badges shown on each section). We do not guarantee authenticity; verify high-stakes details in person.
Read the Hermès authentication guide→Good to know
Everyone called it the Kelly long before Hermès did. The house only changed the name from Sac à dépêches to Kelly officially in 1977, more than twenty years after that famous photo.
SourcesWikipedia
By the numbers
Across 45 recorded resale listings, the Kelly sits around $14,995, roughly 104% of its original retail. This is our estimate from current data, not an appraisal, as of 2026-07-13.
Designers and muses.
Grace Kelly
The princess who named it
The Hollywood star turned Princess of Monaco whose photographs made the bag a global phenomenon.
Robert Dumas
Hermès designer
Reworked an equestrian bag into the structured Sac à dépêches that would become the Kelly.
Commonly paired with palladium for its cool undertones, but offered in both. Source: Romestation, Sotheby's, Fashionphile, Maison de Luxe.
Source: SACLAB, Privé Porter grey guide, Fashionphile (snippet-level).
Source: Rebag, Madison Avenue Couture (snippet-level).
One of Hermès's original permanent colors (code 46). Source: Madison Avenue Couture (snippet-level).
Source: SACLAB (snippet-level).
Takes a second. Add what you've got. Skip the rest.
Log in to add yours. It takes a second.
What gets said about this one, drawn from published reviews and owner discussion. Tell us where your experience differs.
It ages slowly. Owners years in report handles and hardware still close to new, and edge paint, handles and hardware can all be redone at the Hermès spa.
3 sources · PurseForum: Kelly 28, any regrets?
That strap is still why many owners pick it over the Birkin. Hands free mattered more than they expected, and several call it the Hermès they actually reach for.
4 sources · r/Hermes_lovers: is the Kelly's clasp hard to use?
The closure is the loudest complaint by some distance. Turn the lock, unhook both sangles, lift the flap. It needs two hands and usually somewhere to set the bag down.
4 sources · r/Hermes_lovers: is the Kelly's clasp hard to use?
Retourné softens with wear and the bigger sizes can slump. Owners lean on third-party inserts to hold the line, since leather and hardware can be refreshed but the silhouette cannot.
3 sources · PurseForum: if you could only have one Kelly, sellier or retourné?
The strap is thin, fixed at 85cm and not adjustable. It works as a shoulder carry for some and as a crossbody for almost nobody, so a second strap is a common purchase.
3 sources · r/TheHermesGame: functionality of the Birkin and the Kelly
Capacity is smaller than the footprint suggests. The body tapers and the flap has to close over it, so you fill it about halfway before the front starts to bulge.
3 sources · YouTube, @mrsleyva: Kelly 25 retourné, brutally honest review
The larger sizes get heavy once loaded. Owners of the 28 and up report shoulder and arm fatigue on a long day out.
2 sources · r/Hermes_lovers: is the Kelly's clasp hard to use?
We write these in our own words from reviews published elsewhere, then let owners here vote them up or down. Read as of July 2026. Reputation shifts, so if one of these has stopped being true, mark it out of date.
Log in to weigh in on any of these.
Lived experience from people who have carried it, not a verdict.
Log in to add how this one really wears.
Neither end is better. It is what it is.
Structure
Nobody has weighed in
Does it collapse and mould to you, or stand on its own?
How it holds up
Nobody has weighed in
Do you have to be careful with it, or can you stop thinking about it?
Dress code
Nobody has weighed in
Where does it feel right, errands or evening?
Worth it where
Nobody has weighed in
Would you pay boutique price, or only buy this one secondhand?
Traditional or inventive
Nobody has weighed in
Does the design follow the classic template, or break it?
Here, higher is better.
Getting in
Nobody has weighed in
How easily do you get at your things? How secure it is comes from the closure, not this.
Price value
Nobody has weighed in
What it costs against what you get. Not whether you like it.
From owners, not the spec sheet. How it actually rides, and how heavy it feels in hand.
Log in to add how you carry it.
No reviews yet. If you own one, tell us how it wears. You’d be the first.
Live listings for this bag across the marketplaces we track, each rated against the fair value for its spec. We don’t sell these, we link you to the seller. Prices change and sell.
Redeluxe · listed 23 days ago
$16,990
Fashionphile · listed 28 days ago
$17,590
Redeluxe · listed 23 days ago
$17,990
Ann's Fabulous Finds · listed 23 days ago
$19,500
Fair value is the median of recorded resale prices for that spec, broadened and labeled when a spec is thin. Landed estimates add each platform's typical buyer fees and shipping, before sales tax. An estimate, not an appraisal. Affiliate links may earn us a commission.
