Hermès Bag Types: Every Style and Name Explained hermes birkin bag second hand

Author : Hesselberg Franck | Published On : 18 Sep 2026

Each Hermès bag comes with a story, a waiting list, or both. The maison produces far more than the two famous icons. In this guide you will find the different Hermès bag names, what each style does best, approximate prices, and which models you can realistically buy in store.

If you already know the model you want, jump to it 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

Each year, Hermès restricts how many of its two flagship bags any client can purchase. 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 top-handle tote with two straps, a turn-lock closure, and no shoulder strap. You will most often see it in the 25, 30, and 35 sizes.

Retail Hermès Birkin bag prices begin near $11,000–$12,000 for a Togo leather 25 and rise sharply for exotic skins. On the secondary market, expect $20,000 and up for popular sizes and colors. 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 older, more elegant sibling — a single 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. 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.

The Kelly vs Birkin question 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

Busy boutiques may test your patience, but these styles carry no yearly cap. For many buyers, this is where the smart money goes.

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 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. At roughly $3,500–$4,000, it is one of the most attainable everyday Hermès bags.

Hermès Lindy Bag

The Lindy is a relaxed double-zip bag that carries by hand or on the shoulder. reddit has made it a go-to 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. There is no lining and no hardware fuss, only a lock-through closure. If you have searched for a Hermès bucket bag, this is the one people mean. Starting near $3,000, it is often cited as the cheapest Hermès bag in leather.

Hermès Garden Party Bag

This is the practical canvas-and-leather tote for everyday 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.

More Hermès Bag Names You Should Know

The catalog goes deeper than most realize. These names surface again and again in boutiques and across the resale market:

Bolide — a rounded zip-top design and one of the first zippered handbags in history.
Roulis — a compact shoulder bag with a distinctive metal clasp; a quieter alternative to the Constance.
Herbag — a canvas body under a leather Kelly-style flap, with interchangeable bags on a single frame.
Geta — a small curved crossbody in Swift leather, launched in 2022 and still in demand.
Victoria — an unstructured, soft tote suited to travel and everyday carry.
Della Cavalleria — the house's saddle bag silhouette, with a clasp drawn from equestrian hardware.
In-the-Loop — a modern bucket-shaped style, popular in the 18 size on the pre-owned market.
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 Is a Hermès Bag?

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

Entry (canvas and small leather): Herbag, Garden Party canvas, Picotin — roughly $3,000–$4,500
Everyday leather: Evelyne, Lindy, Bolide — roughly $3,500–$9,000
Structured icon tier: Constance, Kelly, Birkin — about $8,500–$13,000 and up retail
Exotic skins and rarities: crocodile, ostrich, and limited runs — from $30,000 into six figures

Expect price increases most years; on the secondary market, quota bags usually trade at 1.5–2x retail.

How to Get a Hermès Bag

You can find the Evelyne, Picotin, Garden Party, and comparable styles as walk-in stock, particularly at bigger boutiques. A Birkin or Kelly realistically comes one of two ways: a purchase history built with a sales associate, or a reputable pre-owned 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. If in doubt, pay for professional authentication — the fee is nothing compared with the bag's price.

Vintage Hermès bags are their own reward. 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.

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