Hermès · Tier 1

Kelly

Name: Hermès Kelly 28
Brand: Hermès

By Arielle · Catalogued July 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.

Choose your Kelly

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Size

20 252832 35 40 50 Mini PM MM Maxi · 33 cm

Material

EpsomTogo Swift Chevre Mysore Niloticus Crocodile Ostrich Box Calf Alligator Clemence Fjord Porosus Crocodile Barenia

Made in

What the house has produced this bag in, from our sourced records.

Material

TogodefaultClemenceEpsomSwiftBox CalfChevre MysoreseasonalBareniaLizardOstrichNiloticus CrocodilePorosus CrocodileAlligator

Construction

The Hermès Kelly 28 is a Epsom Leather structured bag.

What it's worth

DiscontinuedAll 28 colours and leathers · 237 recorded prices

Best listed right now: $13,000 on The RealReal, well below the typical price (median $18,000).

Prices have been trending up over the tracked window.

Discontinued: no longer in production, so resale is the only way to buy it.

By condition · compared like-for-like

excellent

67 prices

very good

17 prices

$13,965$29,000

By production era · decade

2010s

17 prices

2020s

12 prices

$13,000$28,000

Resale by production era: 29 listings, estimated from recorded prices.

Estimated from recorded resale prices (153 with condition unrecorded) · not an appraisal. As of 2026-07-13.

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Bag DNA

What this bag is made of. Tap any part to explore the rest of the catalog.

HBrandHermès1 LeatherEpsom Leather Shapestructured

The Story

A 1930s bag for carrying saddles became the first It bag the day a princess used it to hide a pregnancy.

Origin

From the stable to the salon

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

The photograph that changed everything

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

Guides for this bag

Articles on the Kelly and Hermès from our verified experts.

Photos

This bag is a rare find.

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Specifications

Size28

Size categorymedium

Exterior materialEpsom Leather

Silhouettestructured

Closureturn-lock with strap and belt-style closure (touret turn-lock plus a leather strap that buckles down over the flap, secured by a separate padlock)

StatusDiscontinued

Marketresale

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About Epsom Leather

Typeleather

Resale price history

+25%

$19,250 → $24,000 across 237 recorded sales

2026-06 – 2026-07

Estimated from recorded resale prices · not an appraisal or investment forecast. Values can go down as well as up.

Research depth

We haven’t researched the authentication details for this variant yet. The brand-level markers still apply: check the Hermès guide →

Where to buy

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.

Search on Fashionphile✓ Authenticates every item · 15-day returns on eligible items Search on The RealReal✓ Authenticates every item · Handbags are final sale Search on Vestiaire CollectiveAuthentication available · Limited: final sale unless not as described

Where to sell

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.

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Consign for more

Listed for you and paid when it sells, after commission. Usually nets more than a buyout.

Consign with The RealReal→Consign with Vestiaire Collective→

Care for it

Epsom Leather: 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.

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Leather conditioner

Puts moisture back so the leather stays supple instead of drying and cracking.

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Protectant spray

An invisible barrier that helps the bag shrug off water and light stains.

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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 →

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Kelly

Choose your Kelly

Made in

What it's worth

Make it yours, or move it on

Bag DNA

The Story

From the stable to the salon

The photograph that changed everything

Guides for this bag

Hermès authentication: The markers worth checking

Hermès color codes, decoded: What Noir 89 and Étoupe 18 mean

Birkin vs Kelly: which Hermès bag should you get?

Photos

Specifications

About Epsom Leather

Resale price history

Research depth

Where to buy

Where to sell

Care for it

Suggest an edit

Is this information accurate?

Twenty years to make it official

What the market says today

The people behind it

Watch

Have this in hand? Show us how it really carries.

How owners rate it

How it carries

Reviews

For sale right now

Similar bags

Choose your Kelly

Made in

What it's worth

Make it yours, or move it on

Bag DNA

The Story

From the stable to the salon

The photograph that changed everything

Guides for this bag

Hermès authentication: The markers worth checking

Hermès color codes, decoded: What Noir 89 and Étoupe 18 mean

Birkin vs Kelly: which Hermès bag should you get?

Photos

Specifications

About Epsom Leather

Resale price history

Research depth

Where to buy

Where to sell

🧴 Care for it

Suggest an edit

Is this information accurate?

Twenty years to make it official

What the market says today

The people behind it

Watch

Have this in hand? Show us how it really carries.

How owners rate it

How it carries

Reviews

For sale right now

Similar bags

Care for it