01THE HERMES KELLY BAG IS OLDER THAN ITS NAME. IT WAS BORN IN
THE 1930S AS THE SAC A DEPECHES, A DISPATCH BAG ROBERT DUMAS
REWORKED FROM A SADDLE HOLDER HERMES HAD MADE SINCE 1892.
GRACE KELLY CAME MUCH LATER.
02IN 1956 GRACE KELLY WAS NEWLY PRINCESS OF MONACO AND
PREGNANT WITH HER FIRST CHILD, CAROLINE. PHOTOGRAPHERS
FOLLOWED HER EVERYWHERE. SHE HELD THE LARGE HERMES BAG UP IN
FRONT OF HER BELLY, AND THE PICTURE RAN IN LIFE MAGAZINE.
03THE IMAGE TRAVELLED, AND WOMEN WALKED INTO HERMES ASKING
FOR 'THE KELLY BAG,' A NAME THE HOUSE HAD NOT GIVEN IT. HERMES
KEPT SELLING THE SAC A DEPECHES FOR TWO DECADES AND LET THE
PUBLIC DO THE RENAMING.
04ONLY IN 1977 DID HERMES MAKE THE NAME OFFICIAL. IT WAS THE
FIRST TIME THE HOUSE HAD EVER NAMED A PRODUCT AFTER A PERSON.
THE SHAPE: A STRUCTURED TRAPEZOID, ONE HANDLE, TWO STRAPS, A
TURN LOCK AND A CLOCHETTE.
05EACH KELLY IS STILL BUILT BY ONE CRAFTSMAN, START TO FINISH,
STITCHED BY HAND IN THE SADDLE TRADITION HERMES BEGAN IN
LEATHER GOODS. IT COMES IN SIZES FROM MINIATURE TO TRAVEL,
AND IT RARELY SITS WAITING ON A SHELF.
06ONE BAG, ONE PHOTOGRAPH, ONE PRINCESS SHIELDING HER
PREGNANCY FROM THE CAMERAS. THAT IS ALL IT TOOK TO TURN A
DISPATCH CASE INTO A QUIETLY GUARDED PILLAR OF LUXURY.
THE PUBLIC NAMED IT; HERMES ONLY AGREED.