Hermès Bag Styles: The Complete Guide to Every Name hermes kelly bag top handle iconic

Author : Peele Wyatt | Published On : 18 Sep 2026

Behind every Hermès bag there is a story, a waitlist, or both. The maison produces far more than the two famous icons. Below we break down the different Hermès bag names, the purpose of each style, rough pricing, and which ones are actually available to walk-in buyers.

If you already know the model you want, jump to it below. Starting fresh? Go in order, since the styles are grouped by availability.

Birkin and Kelly: The Quota Bags

Hermès caps the number of its two flagship bags a client may buy per year. Collectors call these the quota bags. You cannot simply order one. Boutiques reserve them for established clients, so secondary-market prices for both run well past retail.

Hermès Birkin Bag

No handbag in the world is more famous than the Birkin. It is a structured tote with two top handles, a turn-lock closure, and no shoulder strap. Common sizes are the Birkin 25, 30, and 35.

Retail Hermès Birkin bag prices begin near $11,000–$12,000 for a Togo leather 25 and rise sharply for exotic skins. Pre-owned, popular sizes and colors command $20,000 and up. Diamond-encrusted crocodile Birkins hold the record as the most expensive Hermès bags, with auction prices in the hundreds of thousands.

Hermès Kelly Bag

Older and more refined, the Hermès Kelly bag pairs a single top handle with a sculpted flap and a removable shoulder strap. You can choose between two builds — the rigid Sellier and the softer Retourne. The bag shot to fame with Grace Kelly in 1956, and the house eventually named it after her.

Pricing lands close to the Birkin: about $10,000–$11,500 retail, depending on size and leather. The mini Kelly bag — the Kelly 20 — is presently the toughest to obtain, with resale often at twice retail.

Kelly vs Birkin in one line: the Kelly is dressier and closes fully with its flap; the Birkin is more casual, roomier, and faster to get in and out of.

Non-Quota Icons You Can Actually Order

You may still wait at busy boutiques, but no annual limit applies to these styles. Many buyers consider this the smartest place to spend.

Hermès Constance Bag

A structured shoulder bag with the big "H" clasp — the closest thing Hermès has to a logo bag. It transitions from day to night and retains value nearly as well as the quota bags. Pricing opens near $8,500 retail for the Constance 18.

Hermès Evelyne Bag

The Evelyne is the house's casual crossbody bag. The design includes a perforated "H" on the front, an open top secured by a tab, and a wide canvas strap. Its original job was hauling equestrian grooming kit, which is why the holes are there. Priced near $3,500–$4,000, it is one of the easiest everyday Hermès bags to actually own.

Hermès Lindy Bag

A slouchy double-zip design, the Lindy works both handheld and over the shoulder. That easygoing shape makes it a travel favorite. The Mini Lindy has become the trend piece of the line in recent years.

Hermès Picotin Bag

The Picotin is a small open bucket bag inspired by a horse's feed bag. No lining, no hardware fuss — just a lock-through closure. When people search for a Hermès bucket bag, this is the one they mean. It starts near $3,000, which also makes it a frequent answer to "what is the cheapest Hermès bag" in leather.

Hermès Garden Party Bag

A practical tote in canvas and leather, made for daily errands. As the workhorse of the range, the Garden Party is also among the easiest styles to find in store. Expect to pay more for all-leather editions; the canvas blend keeps the entry price accessible.

reddit Knowing

The catalog goes deeper than most realize. These styles come up constantly in boutiques and on the resale market:

Bolide — a rounded zip-top bag, one of the first handbags ever made with a zipper.
Roulis — a compact shoulder bag with a signature metal clasp — a subtler take on the Constance.
Herbag — a canvas body under a leather Kelly-style flap, with interchangeable bags on a single frame.
Geta — a small curved Swift-leather crossbody introduced in 2022 and still hard to find.
Victoria — a soft, unstructured tote for travel and daily use.
Della Cavalleria — the house's saddle bag silhouette, with a clasp drawn from equestrian hardware.
In-the-Loop — a contemporary bucket shape, especially popular pre-owned in the 18 size.
24/24, Halzan, Jypsière, Kelly Danse — versatile shoulder and crossbody styles that convert between carries.

For men, the Haut à Courroies (the Birkin's ancestor), the Steve messenger bag, and the Cityback line lead the Hermès men's bag range.

How Much Is a Hermès Bag?

In short: from around $3,000 to far beyond $100,000. A realistic ladder looks like this:

Entry level (canvas and small leather): Herbag, Garden Party canvas, Picotin — roughly $3,000–$4,500
Everyday leather: Evelyne, Lindy, Bolide — about $3,500–$9,000
Structured icons: Constance, Kelly, Birkin — around $8,500–$13,000+ at retail
Exotics and rare pieces: crocodile, ostrich, and limited pieces — $30,000 into six figures

Retail prices climb most years, and quota bags typically resell at 1.5–2x retail.

How to Get a Hermès Bag

Larger boutiques often carry walk-in stock of the Evelyne, Picotin, Garden Party, and similar styles. For a Birkin or Kelly, the realistic paths are building a purchase history with a sales associate, or buying pre-owned from a reputable reseller.

On the pre-owned route, authentication is non-negotiable. Before spending a cent, learn how to tell if a Hermès bag is real — inspect the heat stamp, the slightly angled hand-sewn saddle stitching, the hardware engravings, and the craftsman blind stamp. A fake Hermès bag is usually betrayed by machine-perfect stitching and lightweight hardware. When in reddit , use a professional authentication service — the price of the check is trivial next to the price of the bag.

Vintage Hermès bags reward buyers in their own way. Older Kellys and Bolides often cost less than new non-quota styles and carry patina no new bag can fake.

Which Hermès Bag Should You Buy First?

One answer, three lifestyles: Evelyne for casual daily wear, Constance for dressing up, Picotin for the lowest-cost entry into Hermès leather. Chase the Birkin or Kelly once you know the house — or buy authenticated pre-owned and skip the waitlist entirely.

Related reading: our Hermès leather guide plus Birkin vs Kelly deep dive.