Back in 1837 Thierry Hermès established the harness workshop, Hermès. Hermès trained in Paris to learn the trade of leather making. Over the following decades Hermes developed into one of the most famous saddlery retailers and so they began to produce leather bags to feed the horses, so they introduced the Haut a Courroies bag and ‘saddle stitched’ leather goods. Eventually these bags were then further developed for a more commercial use. Though the brand first started out on producing saddlery and fine equestrian leather goods, it is now best known for their exquisitely crafted leather handbags and other leather goods. Hermès is now one of the most iconic leather goods brands to date and have produced some of the most lusted after bags ever like the infamous Birkin and Kelly.
The Petit Sac a Courroie was created around 1930 and gained its name when Grace Kelly used it as a shield her pregnancy against the paparazzi and the image was shown on the cover of Time magazine. A perfect handbag with the clasp that Hermes is renowned for. It was then later renamed the ‘Kelly’ bag in 1935.
In 1983 the British icon Jane Birkin sat beside Jean Louis Dumas, the director of Hermes, on a flight to London from Paris. She dropped her Hermes diary and papers spilled everywhere. She exclaimed no bag ever had enough pockets to hold all her papers. So after hearing this complaint Dumas created a large bag that was strong and beautiful and soon enough it was to be one of the most sought after designs in the world. Each Birkin costs between USD 7,000 to USD 300,000 and is the exquisite handiwork of a single craftsman, who takes between 18 to 24 hours to complete the job via hand, more if the hide is a delicate crocodile skin.
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