Every Hermès Bag Type and Name, Explained hermes bag greek mythology

Author : Norup Henningsen | Published On : 11 Sep 2026

Each Hermès bag comes with a story, a waiting list, or both. The house makes far more than the two icons everyone knows. 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. If you are starting from zero, read in order — the styles are grouped by how hard they are to get.

Quota Bags Explained: Birkin and Kelly

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

Hermès Birkin Bag

The Birkin is arguably the most famous handbag on earth. It is a structured tote with two top handles, a turn-lock closure, and no shoulder strap. The most common sizes are the 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. On the secondary market, expect $20,000 and up for popular sizes and colors. The most expensive Hermès bags ever sold are diamond-set crocodile Birkins, with auction results in the hundreds of thousands.

Hermès Kelly Bag

The Hermès Kelly bag is the elder, dressier sibling: one top handle, a sculpted flap, and a removable shoulder strap. You can choose between two builds — the rigid Sellier and the softer Retourne. In 1956 Grace Kelly made it famous, and Hermès later renamed the bag in her honor.

Retail prices track just under the Birkin, roughly $10,000–$11,500 based on size and leather. The mini Kelly bag (the Kelly 20) is currently the hardest of all to get, and resale prices often double retail.

Kelly vs Birkin, summed up: 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

This structured shoulder bag with the large "H" clasp is the closest Hermès comes to a logo bag. It transitions from day to night and retains value nearly 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. It was designed for grooming equestrian gear, which explains 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 relaxed double-zip bag that carries by hand or on the shoulder. The soft silhouette has made it a go-to for travel. In recent years the Mini Lindy has turned into the line's trend piece.

Hermès Picotin Bag

The Picotin takes its shape from a horse's feed bag — a small, open bucket design. 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. 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. As the workhorse of the range, the Garden Party is also among the easiest styles to find in store. The all-leather versions cost more; the canvas mix keeps the entry price lower.

More 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 tote for travel and daily use.
Della Cavalleria — the maison's saddle bag design, its clasp lifted straight from equestrian hardware.
In-the-Loop — a modern bucket silhouette whose 18 size does brisk business on the pre-owned market.
24/24, Halzan, Jypsière, Kelly Danse — adaptable shoulder and crossbody designs that switch between carry modes.

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 reddit Does a Hermès Bag Cost?

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

Entry (canvas and small leather): Herbag, Garden Party canvas, Picotin — roughly $3,000–$4,500
Daily leather: Evelyne, Lindy, Bolide — roughly $3,500–$9,000
Structured icons: Constance, Kelly, Birkin — roughly $8,500–$13,000+ retail
Exotic skins and rarities: crocodile, ostrich, and limited editions — $30,000 up to six figures

Prices rise most years, and secondary-market prices for quota bags typically sit 1.5–2x retail.

How to Get a Hermès Bag

Walk-in stock exists for Evelyne, Picotin, Garden Party, and similar styles, especially at larger boutiques. To land a Birkin or Kelly, your realistic options are building purchase history with a sales associate or going pre-owned through a reputable reseller.

Going pre-owned? Authentication is everything. Know how to tell if a Hermès bag is real before parting with money: examine the heat stamp, the hand-sewn saddle stitch (slightly angled), the hardware engravings, and the 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.

There is a separate reward in vintage Hermès bags. 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?

Want a single answer? The Evelyne for casual days, the Constance for dressier lifestyles, and the Picotin for the cheapest route into Hermès leather. Save the Birkin or Kelly for when you know the house — or choose authenticated pre-owned and bypass the waitlist completely.

Keep reading: our Hermès leather guide and Birkin vs Kelly deep dive.