The furore around Hermès bags have reached fever pitch. While they’ve always been an object of fashion girls’ affections, it appears that mainstream audiences want to buy into the obsession. And while dupes are cropping up on Amazon or being stocked at Walmart, there is no denying that the brand is inimitable.
“Buying a Hermès bag is akin to investing in your pension; they will never decrease in value and are a failsafe addition to your wardrobe, surpassing all other bag fads,” explains Amy Bannerman, eBay’s Pre-Loved Style Director.
According to the pre-loved fashion site, “global eBay users have searched for ‘Hermès’ over 31 times a minute, on average, in 2025 so far”, demonstrating an insatiable appetite for the luxury leather goods crafted by the French maison. “These icons of style are having a real moment right now,” Bannerman echoes.
“It’s not just the Birkins and Kellys getting love; styles like the Constance, Evelyne, and Picotin are also becoming go-to favourites” Of course, with these styles, which are both based on chic fashion icons of yore, are certifiably Hermès most well-known staples, there’s so much more to the brand than just these pieces.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Style Notes: Kendall Jenner wears a vintage Hermès Kelly while out in New York.
As anyone who is familiar with the brand can attest, purchasing a Hermès bag can be an arduous pursuit. It’s not the case that you can walk into your nearest boutique and pick one up off the shelf. With limited quantities produced each year, and every bag handcrafted by an expert artist in Hermès’ atelier, these factors have only contributed to their exclusivity and appeal. Many, instead, turn to second-hand experts like celebrity fashion sourcer, Gab Waller. “It may come as a surprise, but we don’t personally source Hermès Birkin or Kelly bags,” the Los Angeles-based, Australian-born fashion force tells me over the phone.
Given these sought-after styles fall out of her remit, meaning her clients like Sofia Richie Grainge and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have to turn elsewhere for these styles, the 31-year-old entrepreneur explains that alternative designs are on the rise. “The Picotin, especially, is such a staple in any wardrobe. We receive requests for it constantly and any time we offer one, it sells out immediately.” Her expert advice? Think pink. Blush, rose and bubblegum shades are proving the most popular and given that it’s a style Waller personally owns, it’s one that would reap the most dividends.
If you’re looking to make your next investment, Waller also says we should be considering vintage styles as worthy ventures, too. “That draw to larger and vintage bags is something that clients are seeking,” she adds. “On that note, vintage Hermès bags in general are very in demand at present. The more worn the better. That rugged look is what clients are looking for.”
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Style Notes: Victoria Beckham wearing an Hermès Birkin while attending an England football match as part of the 2006 World Cup.
Purchasing a Hermès bag that isn’t in perfect condition or still in the box might seem blasphemous, but it is happening—and fast. “It’s coming from the younger generation. Gen Z is gravitating towards [bags] that aren’t picture perfect. They want something undone, relaxed and effortless. Think of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen with their very worn-in Birkin bags!”
Indeed, there’s so much more to the best Hermès bags than meets the eye. Ready for a crash course? Ahead, the five leading styles that define luxury. (And are worthy to be your next purchase?)
Style Notes: A glimpse of Jasmine Tooke’s Hermès bag collection, including the Kelly, Birkin and Constance.
The 5 Best Hermès Bags That Exemplify Luxury
1. Birkin
Style Notes: As Samantha Jones once said, “It’s not a bag…it’s a Birkin.” Indeed, the Hermès Birkin transcends the ordinary rules that luxury accessories adhere to. Whispers about purchasing this style are the stuff of urban myth, as owners are rumoured to have endured long waitlists and maintained a regular purchase history with the French maison to nab a bag of their own. (I can not overstate how much I’m asked as a fashion editor what the price of a Hermès Birkin is.) But of course, for those who have managed to secure a style, they join an exclusive group that shares a part of fashion history.
For the uninitiated, the Hermès Birkin originated in, perhaps quite aptly, an almost apocryphal tale that’s become a style legend. It was 1984. French-British actress and songstress, Jane Birkin, boarded a flight from Paris to London carrying her wares in her signature basket bag. As she entered the first-class cabin, the contents of her woven tote poured out. While up in the air, the then 37-year-old lamented about the struggles of finding a chic bag that could fit the essential items of a woman’s life to her neighbour. Her seat partner was none other than Jean-Louis Dumas, then the chairman of Hermès. Somewhere over continental Europe, the pair landed on the machinations of the Hermès Birkin. As they say, the rest is history.
In 2022, the most expensive Birkin—a Birkin 30 made from speckled crocodile skin and encrusted with 18k diamond hardware—sold at auction for USD$450,000. Now, following Birkin’s passing in 2023, her personal bag is set to go under the hammer. Her penchant for distressing the expensive accessory and littering it with talismans, tchotchkes and trinkets paved the way for the ‘Birkin-ification’ of luxury goods, with the bag charm trend attributed to how she’d individualise the bag.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Shop the Bag:
HERMÈS
Birkin 35 Chevre De Coromandel Cocoa Vintage
Requires a little conditioning on the leather, but is such a beautiful piece.
HERMÈS
Vintage Birkin 35 Etaupe/Palladium, 2005
The pebbled leather is quite luxe.
Hermes
Orange Vintage 1998 Birkin 35 Bag in Box Calf Leather
A Birkin in Hermès orange? How appropriate.
2. Kelly
(Image credit: @hoskelsa)
Style Notes: To the undiscerning eye, the Hermès Kelly can read as the Birkin’s baby sister. Of course, those in the know are aware of the rich history and fashion legacy that also follows this classic designer handbag style. But first, the differences between the two. For the uninitiated, the main points of contrast lie in the straps—the Birkin boasts two handles while the Kelly only features one. Because of this, the Kelly is a true top handle. The front flap is more structured and refined, too. The Kelly only got its name in 1977 after it earned a place in the spotlight when it was photographed on the arms of Old Hollywood starlet and the Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly. (It’s said she used to carry it to help shield her baby bump from the flashing lights of wanton paparazzi cameras).
(Image credit: Getty Images)
However, the origins of the bag date back to the 1930s. When it was first released to market, the Kelly sold under the title “Sac à Dépêches” and was designed for the wife of former CEO, Émile-Maurice Hermès. These days, the bag is made by a single artisan and takes between 18 to 24 hours to complete. Recently, the Hermes Kelly also appeared listed in the ‘Most Bought Handbags’ in the eBay Watchlist, an annual trend report reflecting sales data and pre-loved fashion appetite.
Shop the Bag:
HERMÈS
1981 Kelly Bag 35 Burgundy Dark Red Leather Bag Hermes
I think I love the vintage styles more…
HERMÈS
2016 Kelly 35 Black Togo Leather & Gold Hardware
With eBay’s authenticator, you can guarantee you’ll be receiving what you ordered.
HERMÈS
2005 Kelly 32 Natural Vache & Palladium Hardware
Some slight scratching on the flap, but this wear is reflected in the price. (Perfect if you’re wanting to beat up your Kelly to channel your inner Olsen Twin!)
3. Constance
Style Notes: The Constance is considered one of the “big three” of Hermès bags. Unlike the logoless Kelly or Birkin, this style is defined by the singular ‘H’ clasp that fastens the boxy shape. Sportier and more agile by design, the Constance is nifty, compact and designed for life on the move. The shape was conceived in 1967 under the helm of Dumas, the creator of the Birkin. Catherine Chaillet, who worked for Hermès as an in-house designer, conjured the shape when pregnant with her fifth child and named the style in honour of her newborn. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis often sported the bag, adding to its appeal. Nowadays, it’s seen on the shoulders of Emily Ratajkowski and Nicky Hilton. While it’s not as “stealth wealth” coded as Hermès’ other two household name styles, the lettered style is as exclusive and a testament to the brand’s artistry.
Shop the Bag:
HERMES
Constance 23 Shoulder Black Bag Calf Leather 1954
Consider this the grown-up sister of the Celine Triomphe.
Hermès
Constance 3 Mini 18 Evercolor Rouge H Gold Metal Fittings C: 2018
Burgundy is always a good idea.
HERMÈS
Beige Box Calf Constance 23 Shoulder Bag
This beautiful latte hue is so versatile.
4. Picotin
Style Notes: Everything that Hermès crafts is rooted in odes to the equestrian world. The Picotin is no different, with the bucket shape of the bag an homage to the baskets horse feeders would carry oats and hay in. A hybrid between the Saint Laurent Y Tote and the Loewe Pebble Bucket Bag—two of the most popular designer handbags— the Hermès Picotin features two soft leather handles and a pillowy pail-style body. It’s finished with a singular tie that secures with a gilded lock closure. What makes the Picton unique is that the bag is completely unlined. Honouring leather as a canvas—or specifically, the brand’s trademark Taurillon Clemence leather— the result is a textured grained finish that is supple on the outside and soft on the inside. Wear in the nook of your elbow or along your forearm for an elegant carry. According to leading resale platform eBay, the Picotin is “One of the fastest-growing Hermès handbags globally, with searches up over 20% year-over-year (May 2025 vs. May 2024).”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Shop the Bag:
HERMÈS
Hermes Picotin 18 in Jaune Milton K Stamp £3,500
HERMÈS
Picotin 22 Bicolour
The two-toned Picotin lends itself to so many styling possibilities.
5. Evelyne
(Image credit: @kellyrutherford)
Style Notes: Given that Hermès began as a boutique crafts workshop designing high-quality harnesses for the carriages of European aristocrats in 1837, it should come as no surprise that the house’s most emblematic designs are those rooted in equine motifs. The Evelyn is one such style. Preserving the original shoulder strap and oval hoofprint featured in the original design, the perforated “H” indented through the centre of the cross-body style was intended as a drying mechanism that allowed the grooming accessories housed in the very first iterations. This symbol was never planned to be on display, but rather face towards the wearer. Instead, a practical pocket slip was purposefully planted. But as actress Kelly Rutherford displays below, doesn’t this small but overt acknowledgement of Hermés’s continuing legacy make it all the more opulent?
Shop the Bag:
HERMÈS
2024 Mini Evelyne 16 Amazone Gold Silver Hardware Clemence
There’s something about this pierced style that reminds me of balmy raffia bags.
HERMES
Hermes Evelyne Tpm 16. Amazon Shoulder Bag
This colour combination is such an Hermès signature.
Hermes
Mini Evelyne Bag Handbag Bags 3p Blue Atoll Clemence
How gorgeous is this bold blue!
Celebrities Wearing the Best Hermès Bags
Style Notes: Jasmine Tookes carries an Hermès Birkin.
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Style Notes: Victoria Beckham carrying an Hermès Birkin while in Paris in 2009.
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Style Notes: Sofia Richie Grainge made her Hermès Kelly 25 Sellier in Rouge a crucial part of her maternity wardrobe.
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Style Notes: Patron saints of distressed luxury goods, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, show off their matching Hermès Birkin bags while attending NYFW in 2007. Note the creased corners and beaten-up leatherwork.
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Style Notes: Kate Moss used her Hermès Birkin as a diaper bag with her daughter, Lila Moss.
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Style Notes: Lady Gaga might’ve been known for drawing on her custom Hermès with Japanese characters, but this crocodile Birkin is my favourite from her collection.
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Style Notes: Dua Lipa touches off her Hermès Birkin 35 with a littering of ornaments, including a delicate twill scarf.
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Style Notes: Here, Winnie Harlow does three of the decade’s biggest trends—sheer dressing, Maison Margiela Tabis and the Hermès Birkin.
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Style Notes: For the ultimate Upper East Side look, Emily Ratajkowski paired her Proenza Schouler waisted trench coat with a Hermés Birkin.
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Style Notes: Pairing your pouch to your pochette is so Y2K, so trust Kim Kardashian to match her Pomeranian with a rare suede Hermès Birkin.
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