Authenticity Guide Hermès
Authenticity Guide Hermès
How to tell if a Hermès bag is an original
History
The company was founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès in Paris, France. Originally, Hermès specialized in the production of high-quality bridles and saddles for horses. The exquisite craftsmanship and quality of its products quickly made the company popular among riders and horse lovers.
Over time, Hermes' product range expanded, and the company began producing luxury leather goods, accessories, and clothing. In the 1920s, Hermes introduced the first leather handbags, including the famous "Kelly Bag," later made famous by Grace Kelly. In the 1930s, Hermes presented the iconic silk scarf, the "Carré Hermès," which became a timeless fashion accessory.
The Hermes brand has earned an exclusive reputation over the years through its combination of tradition, elegance, and craftsmanship. Today, Hermes is synonymous with luxury and style, offering a wide range of products, including leather goods, fashion, perfumes, jewelry, and home accessories.
The Kelly Bag
The house of Hermès has its origins in the production of saddlery items. The bags initially produced were primarily functional and were used to store riding accessories. This also applies to the predecessor of the Kelly Bag from the 1890s - then known as 'Haut à courroies', which was developed for transporting riding boots and saddles.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas, the creative director of Hermès at the time, further developed the 'Haut à courroies' into the 'Sac à dépêches' - the first bag from Hermès that was no longer tailored to equestrian sports. Poets and politicians like JFK used the elegant bag for documents and newspapers.
From then on, the 'Sac à dépêches' increasingly transformed into a modern women's handbag. The trapezoidal boxy design with a handle, two closure straps and geometric flap became an icon of bold modernism.
For the film "Over the Roofs of Nice", the costume designer bought various accessories from Hermès, and the leading actress Grace Kelly fell in love with the 'Sac à dépêches' during filming. As Grace Kelly after her wedding to Prince Rainier III. of Monaco, turned her back on Hollywood, she continued to wear the 'Sac à dépêches' as her personal favorite accessory. A picture of Grace Kelly from 1956, in which she holds her Hermès bag to protect her baby bump, went around the world and made the 'Sac à dépêches' the epitome of timeless elegance and an international status symbol. The 'Sac à dépêches' was then given the name 'Kelly Bag'.
The Birkin Bag
The Birkin Bag also owes its creation and name to a celebrity.
In 1984, on a flight from Paris to London, Jean-Louis Dumas, then CEO of Hermès, sat next to British actress Jane Birkin. During the conversation she mentioned that she couldn't find a suitable bag that was both simple and functional. As a new mother, she wanted a bag that had enough storage space for her baby things and could also be used as a travel bag for short weekend trips. Based on the design of the 'Haut à courroies', Dumas sketched out the design of a bag during the flight that would meet all these needs. The Birkin Bag came onto the market shortly afterwards.
Today the Birkin is considered the ultimate investment piece. This is particularly exciting for the second-hand market, as a Birkin can usually be resold without loss of value. On the contrary: Depending on the model and rarity of the Birkin, the bags are sold for many times the purchase price.
Constance
In 1967, Jean-Louis Dumas, CEO of Hermès (1978–2006), asked designer Catherine Chaillet to design a bag for the house. For the young woman, who was pregnant at the time, it seemed only natural to name the bag after her daughter: Constance. A handbag with a slightly sporty feel, practical and casual, for young women on the go.
Evelyne
The history of this bag goes back 42 years. Evelyne Bertrand created her eponymous bag in 1978 as an all-rounder for a horse groomer's tools. One side of the bag is perforated to allow brushes and sponges to dry on the go. Although the perforated side is meant to be worn against the body, the H logo has become a coveted design element for luxury lovers.
How to authenticate a Hermès Kelly & Birkin Bag
Stamp
Each Hermès Treasure is made by hand and is virtually unique.
The logo stamp is either colorless and embossed into the leather or coordinated with the color of the hardware. It is located under the flap above the twist clasp. The HERMÈS PARIS MADE IN FRANCE embossing is clearly legible and regular
Blind embossing
All Hermès leather products have blind embossing. Hermès dates the handbags using capital letters. Since 1971, Hermès has used letters and shapes to mark the year. This is either a circle or a square. Models produced from 2014 onwards only have the letter.
The blind embossing of the Kelly and Birkin is on the inside of the right closing strap. Since 2016, the embossing can be found in the left rear corner of the bag.
In addition to the date, other numbers and symbols are usually embossed. This allows you to trace where and by whom the bag was made. When a bag is sent to Paris for repairs, it is handled by the craftsman who made it.
Hardware
The hardware of the Kelly and Birkin is made of high quality metal. It is usually either 18k gold plated or made of palladium. Gold-colored metal with a stamp next to the HERMES PARIS engraving is plated with 24k gold.
The twist lock is tight and stable. You shouldn't feel any resistance when turning, it feels smooth.
The four feet at the bottom of the bag have the same finish as the rest of the hardware and cannot be unscrewed.
Leather
The leather of a genuine Hermès bag has a very specific smell that arises during processing and does not disappear even after many years. Hermès uses the highest quality leather.
Most Kelly and Birkin bags are made from calf leather. Box Calf, Clemence, Epsom and Togo leather differ in the fineness of the surface, their stiffness and how resistant they are to scratches and wear.
Hermès is known for using the highest quality exotic leather. Bags made from these materials are often sold at auction for many times their original price.
Lining
The lining of the Kelly and Birkin Bag is made from the highest quality leather. It is usually a grainy goatskin. It is carefully sewn in, the stitching is flawless and there are no loose threads. Other leather is also used in certain models. This is also of the highest quality and made from similar leather to the outside of the bag.
Some custom-made products may have an interior in a contrasting color.
Seams
Every Hermès bag is sewn by hand with the greatest care. The seam is called a saddler's seam. Each stitch is attached individually, which has the advantage that the entire seam does not come loose if a stitch breaks.
The stitches are slightly angled, tight and precise. Since the stitches are hand-sewn, there may be minimal irregularities, but the stitching never looks messy.
Most of the time, the stitching is the same color as the leather of the handbag. However, it happens that a white thread is used even if the leather is not white.
Lock and key
The lock and keys that come with every Kelly and Birkin bag are an important sign of authenticity.
Before 2000, locks did not have a serial number. Instead, they had an Hermès stamp on the bottom and a number that matched the number on the keys.
Since 2000, there has been both the Hermès stamp and a sequence of numbers - usually 102, 121 or 212 - on the underside of the lock and on the keys.
The piece of leather that holds the keys is called a clochette. It is made from a piece of leather that is sewn together left and right.
Since the lock and key are made of the highest quality metal, they have a certain weight. If they are too light in the hand, this is an indication of inferior quality and speaks against the authenticity of the bag.
Zipper
The zipper inside the bag should be checked carefully.
The zipper can be opened and closed smoothly. Depending on the year of production of the bag, the zipper connector is either in the shape of an H or a square.
Either the letter H or Hermès is engraved on the handle plate on the sliding body.
The finish of the zipper is rather matte.
Shape and Size
The size of the Birkin and Kelly is indicated with a number that refers to the exact width of the bottom of the bag in cm, such as 'Kelly 35' or 'Birkin 30'. Here it makes sense to know in which widths and variants the bags are produced:
Kelly Bag
- Micro Kelly: 15
- Mini Kelly: 20
- Kelly: 25, 28, 32, 35, 40
- Shoulder Kelly: 42
- Kelly Voyage & Relax: 50
Birkin bag
- Micro Birkin: 15
- Birkin: 25, 30, 35, 40, 50
- HAC Birkin: 28, 32, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60
- Shoulder Birkin: 42, 45
Data codes
Datacodes
The exact year of a Hermès bag and often also of other Hermès leather items can be found with the datacode.
Placement of Kelly and Birkin bags: Up to and including 2015, the blind embossing with the Datacode was located on the inside of the strap of the Kellys and Birkins. From 2016, the stamps are located on the inside of the bag at the top left!
