Hermès Bag Styles: The Complete Guide to Every Name princess grace kelly hermes bag

Author : Temple Combs | Published On : 13 Sep 2026

Behind every Hermès bag there is a story, a waitlist, or both. Hermès offers much more than the two bags everyone recognizes. 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 a specific model brought you here, jump to its section below. If you are starting from zero, read in order — the styles are grouped by how hard they are to get.

The Quota Bags: Birkin and Kelly

Hermès caps the number of its two flagship bags a client may buy per year. Among collectors, these are known as the quota bags. You cannot just walk in and order one. They are offered to established clients only, which is why resale prices for both sit far above retail.

Hermès Birkin Bag

The Birkin is the most famous handbag in the world. 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.

reddit 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. The most expensive Hermès bags on record are diamond-set crocodile Birkins, which have hit six figures at auction.

Hermès Kelly Bag

The Hermès Kelly bag is the elder, dressier sibling: one top handle, a sculpted flap, and a removable shoulder strap. Two constructions exist: Sellier, which is rigid with sharp edges, and Retourne, which is softer and relaxed. Grace Kelly made it famous in 1956, and the house renamed the bag after her.

Pricing lands close to the Birkin: about $10,000–$11,500 retail, depending on size and leather. Right now the mini Kelly bag (Kelly 20) is the hardest Hermès bag to source, and resale prices frequently double retail.

reddit in one line: the Kelly is more formal and fully closes with its flap, while the Birkin is casual, roomier, and quicker to access.

Icons You Can Actually Order (No Quota)

These styles still require patience at busy boutiques, but there is no annual limit. For plenty of buyers, this is where the smart money lands.

Hermès Constance Bag

A structured shoulder bag with the big "H" clasp — the closest thing Hermès has to a logo bag. The Constance works day to night and holds its value almost as well as the quota bags. Retail starts around $8,500 for the Constance 18.

Hermès Evelyne Bag

The Evelyne is the maison's laid-back crossbody bag. It features a perforated "H" front, a tab-closure open top, and a wide canvas strap. Originally built to carry horse-grooming gear — hence the ventilation holes. At around $3,500–$4,000, it ranks among the most attainable everyday Hermès bags.

Hermès Lindy Bag

The Lindy is a slouchy, double-zip bag you can carry by hand or over the shoulder. Its relaxed shape makes it a favorite for travel. Lately, the Mini Lindy has emerged as the trend piece of the family.

Hermès Picotin Bag

The Picotin is a small open bucket bag inspired by a horse's feed bag. It skips lining and hardware complications in favor of a simple 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 canvas-and-leather tote for daily errands. The Garden Party serves as the range's workhorse and is one of the simplest styles to locate in a boutique. Expect to pay more for all-leather editions; the canvas blend keeps the entry price accessible.

Other Hermès Bag Names Worth Knowing

There is real depth to the catalog. You will see these styles constantly in boutiques and on resale platforms:

Bolide — a rounded zip-top design and one of the first zippered handbags in history.
Roulis — a compact shoulder style with a distinctive clasp, for those who find the Constance too loud.
Herbag — a canvas body under a leather Kelly-style flap, with interchangeable bags on a single frame.
Geta — a petite curved crossbody in Swift leather that debuted in 2022 and remains in demand.
Victoria — a soft, unstructured travel and everyday tote.
Della Cavalleria — Hermès's saddle bag shape, finished with a clasp borrowed from equestrian hardware.
In-the-Loop — a contemporary bucket shape, especially popular pre-owned in the 18 size.
24/24, Halzan, Jypsière, Kelly Danse — flexible shoulder and crossbody styles built to convert between carries.

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

How Much Does a Hermès Bag Cost?

The short answer: anywhere from roughly $3,000 to well over $100,000. A realistic ladder looks like this:

Entry point (canvas and small leather): Herbag, Garden Party canvas, Picotin — roughly $3,000–$4,500
Everyday leather: Evelyne, Lindy, Bolide — around $3,500–$9,000
The structured icons: Constance, Kelly, Birkin — roughly $8,500–$13,000+ retail
Exotics and rarities: 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.

Going pre-owned? Authentication is everything. Learn how to tell if a Hermès bag is real before you spend anything: check the heat stamp, the stitching (hand-sewn saddle stitch, slightly angled), the hardware engravings, and the craftsman blind stamp. A fake Hermès bag is usually betrayed by machine-perfect stitching and lightweight hardware. If in doubt, pay for professional authentication — the fee is nothing compared with the bag's price.

Vintage Hermès bags are their own reward. An older Kelly or Bolide often undercuts new non-quota styles on price and carries patina no new bag can replicate.

Which Hermès Bag Should You Buy First?

Want a single answer? reddit for casual days, the Constance for dressier lifestyles, and the Picotin for the cheapest route into Hermès leather. Chase the Birkin or Kelly once you know the house — or buy authenticated pre-owned and skip the waitlist entirely.

More on this topic: our Hermès leather guide and Birkin vs Kelly deep dive.