Hermès is a French brand established in Paris, synonymous with a luxury lifestyle. Many people who purchase even one item from the Hermès collection have a budget that allows them to purchase accessories that can cost upwards of $100,000. Other items, like scarves, are under $6 figures and may cost between $10,000 and $30,000.
Kelly or Birkin: which one to choose?
When buying a Hermes Birkin or Kelly, you have many choices. Size, colour, and leather are also important considerations. However, before you can even begin to consider these options, you need to decide whether the Birkin or the Kelly is the style for you. The guide below is designed to provide you with all the information needed to make that decision.
Bag size
The best way to consider buying a Hermès bag is to start with the right size. The Hermès Birkin bag comes in 3 sizes (25, 30, 35 cm), and 6 sizes for the Kelly bag (25, 28, 32, 35, 40 and 50 cm) with a few additional variations of the Kelly bag during special Hermès releases, including a mini and petite wallet known as the Kelly Pochette and Kelly Cut.
The first of the two bags on the scene was the Kelly bag. The Kelly bag was around even before Grace Kelly, then Princess Grace, brought the bag into the spotlight. She used the bag to conceal her pregnant belly from the prying eyes of the paparazzi, leading to the cover of Life Magazine featuring a picture of both her and the bag in 1956.
Kelly Bag
The Kelly bag (formerly known as the Sac à dépêches) is a leather handbag designed by the Paris-based, high-fashion luxury goods manufacturer Hermès. Originally a saddle holder, it was redesigned several times before it was popularized by and then named after the American actress and Monégasque princess Grace Kelly. The bag is now an expensive status symbol.
Birkin Bag
On the other hand, the Birkin came later and was designed specifically for actress Jane Birkin. The story behind the bag begins with a chance encounter between Jane Birkin and Hermes on a plane. Jane accidently spilled the contents of her handbag, complaining that it was impossible to “find an elegant large handbag.” Hermes’s ears pricked at this exclamation, and three years later, the Birkin bag was born.
The Birkin bag is a personal accessory of luggage or a tote by Hermès that is handmade in leather and named after actress and singer Jane Birkin. The bag is currently in fashion as a symbol of wealth due to its high price and celebrity use. Birkins are the most popular bag with handbag collectors, and Victoria Beckham owns over 100 of them. Its prices range from US$11,900 to $300,000. Costs escalate according to the type of leather and if exotic skins are used. The bags are distributed to Hermès boutiques on unpredictable schedules and in limited quantities, creating artificial scarcity and exclusivity. Small versions (25 cm) may be considered a handbag or purse.
Two styles for two different women
The history of the two bags provides a hint into the differences between the Birkin and Kelly. The Kelly bag was designed as a stylish bag of luxury, made for the princesses of this world to cover their baby bumps. The Birkin, on the other hand, was designed as an everyday bag, capable of holding all your essentials without fear of spilling out. The main difference between the two, and one that is immediately evident, is that the Kelly bag has one handle on the top plus a shoulder strap, whereas the Birkin has two handles at the top and no shoulder strap.
This provides the Kelly bag with a more elegant look and the option of carrying it in your hand or crossbody. The Birkin is more like a chic tote bag and is meant to be carried in the crook of your arm with its two top handles. Another, more subtle difference between the two bags is the closure system. The Kelly bag requires the flap to be closed to avoid adding strain to the handle. However, the Birkin bag is often worn as a tote with the lock undone, making it easy to grab whatever is needed when it is needed.
Hermès bags are always a symbol of luxury. One of my favorite bags is Birkin Faubourg Tropical. This bag is made using Lunéville stitch embroidery, which depicts dense jungles and urban buildings. The unique pattern design also gives the backpack a unique appearance. If you want to make your bags prettier and more special, you can also decorate your bags with some beautiful accessories such as embroidery patches and pins.
As a small design, we can choose the backpack pattern to make custom patches and custom pins, the two of them serve as a little embellishments. Create unique embroidered patches and pins and put them on clothes and bags as exquisite decorations. At the same time, customized embroidered patches and pins will be a unique decoration.
Article edited by Sarah Duque Lovisoni