History of Hermès Kelly 25
The Hermès Kelly was originally named the Sac à Dépêches when it was first released in the 1930s. The Hermès bag gained popularity when Grace Kelly used it to hide her pregnancy from paparazzi. The Princess of Monaco was introduced to the Kelly bag while filming To Catch A Thief in 1955 and refused to part with it. Hermès renamed the bag the “Kelly” in 1977 as a nod to the actress-turned-princess. The Hermès Kelly is constructed out of thirty-six pieces of leather and six hundred and eighty stitches by a single artisan over the course of 18 to 24 hours. While there are many sizes and variations of the Kelly bag the Hermès Kelly 25 is increasingly becoming the most sought after size.
Most Expensive Leather Hermès Kelly 25
Hermès released metallic leather bags in 2004 and 2005 in celebration of the Athens Olympics. Today the Birkin 25 and Hermès Kelly 25 in metallic chèvre leather are highly sought after by collectors. Sotheby's sold a Metallic Hermès Kelly 25 in Metallic Bronze as part of The Visionary Collection of Joseph Lau for 1,016,000 Hong Kong Dollars or just over $132,000. This record breaking price for a leather Hermès Kelly 25 was due to the impressive condition and rarity of this bag.
New Favorite Himalaya: Hermès Kelly 25
While the Hermès Birkin Himalaya was once the most sought after Hermès Himalaya bag by celebrities and collectors, the Hermès Kelly 25 Himalaya is increasingly becoming the new favorite. The Hermès Himalaya Kelly was released a year after the Hermès Birkin Himalaya in 2013. There are far fewer Hermès Kelly 25 Himalaya bags on the secondary market since of the standard Kelly sizes, the Hermès Kelly 28 was historically the most popular size. A new record was set for any handbag sold at auction in Europe with Sotheby’s Paris sale of an Hermès Himalayan Kelly 25 for over $345,000 in September 2022. The previous European record was set by an Hermès Himalaya Birkin 35 that sold for around $206,750 in 2019.
Limited Edition Hermès Kelly 25
Recently Hermès has released more limited Kelly 25 bags due to the popularity of the size.
Hermès Kelly 25 Padded
Hermès Kelly 25 Padded was released in 2021and was inspired by vintage car interiors. The Saddle Stitching down the center is its most unique and defining design variation from the traditional Hermès Kelly 25. The bag is made in swift leather and can be purchased with either gold or palladium hardware.
Hermès Kelly 25 Colormatic
Hermès Kelly 25 Colormatic was released in 2022. The design of the Hermès Kelly 25 Colormatic is consistent with Hermès 2022 collection of color combinations that are meant to be more light and casual. The exterior pocket is a unique and practical design that is perfect for holding cards. The contrasting colors also give the the Kelly 25 Hermès bag appear more sporty.
Hermès Kelly 25 In and Out
The Limited Edition Hermès Kelly 25 In and Out was released in the end of 2021. The Hermès bag provides an x-ray view of what might be in the bag's interior. Hermès products illustrated on the front of the Kelly 25 bag include the classic chaine d’ancre bracelet, a clochette keyholder in an exotic skin, a Hermès Citron Tutti Frutti pochette, and an Hermès lipstick. This Kelly 25 Hermès bag is made of Swift leather with palladium-plated hardware in the serene color Nata. Like the In and Out Birkin, the In and Out Kelly’s orange Hermès box features a navy interior and a dust bag with a navy Hermès logo and drawstrings. This super rare Kelly 25 Hermès is a must have for handbag collectors thanks to its references to Hermès impressive array of leather goods, old and new.
Hermès Kelly 25 For Sale
Sotheby's has a curated selection of Hermès Kelly 25 bags for sale for immediate purchase, featured in auctions and available for private sale. A Sotheby's specialist can provide more details about pricing and availability on the Buy Now marketplace and auction. A Handbag Specialist would also be happy to source an Hermès Kelly 25. We have a large network of private sellers and would be happy to help you source a limited edition, exotic or other rare Hermès Kelly 25.
