Behind every Hermès bag there is a story, a waitlist, or both. The house makes far more than the two icons everyone knows. Below we break down the different Hermès bag names, the purpose of each style, rough pricing, and which ones are actually available to walk-in buyers.
Already know which model you are after? Skip straight to it below. Starting fresh? Go in order, since the styles are grouped by availability.
The Quota Bags: Birkin and Kelly
Each year, Hermès restricts how many of its two flagship bags any client can purchase. These are what collectors call the quota bags. You cannot just walk in and order one. Boutiques offer them to established clients, which is why the resale market for both runs well above retail.
Hermès Birkin Bag
No handbag in the world is more famous than the Birkin. It is a structured top-handle tote with two straps, a turn-lock closure, and no shoulder strap. You will most often see it in the 25, 30, and 35 sizes.
Retail Hermès Birkin bag prices begin near $11,000–$12,000 for a Togo leather 25 and rise sharply for exotic skins. On the secondary market, expect $20,000 and up for popular sizes and colors. The most expensive Hermès bags ever sold are diamond-set crocodile Birkins, with auction results in the hundreds of thousands.
Hermès Kelly Bag
The Hermès Kelly bag is the elder, dressier sibling: one top handle, a sculpted flap, and a removable shoulder strap. Two constructions exist: Sellier, which is rigid with sharp edges, and Retourne, which is softer and relaxed. The bag shot to fame with Grace Kelly in 1956, and the house eventually named it after her.
Pricing lands close to the Birkin: about $10,000–$11,500 retail, depending on size and leather. The mini Kelly bag (the Kelly 20) is currently the hardest of all to get, and resale prices often double retail.
Kelly vs Birkin, summed up: the Kelly is dressier and closes fully with its flap; the Birkin is more casual, roomier, and faster to get in and out of.
Icons You Can Actually Order (No Quota)
Busy boutiques may test your patience, but these styles carry no yearly cap. For many buyers, this is where the smart money goes.
Hermès Constance Bag
A structured shoulder bag built around the bold "H" clasp, and the nearest thing to a logo bag Hermès makes. It transitions from day to night and retains value nearly as well as the quota bags. Retail starts around $8,500 for the Constance 18.
Hermès Evelyne Bag
The Evelyne is the house's casual crossbody bag. It has a perforated "H" on the front, an open top with a tab closure, and a wide canvas strap. Originally built to carry horse-grooming gear — hence the ventilation holes. At roughly $3,500–$4,000, it is one of the most attainable everyday Hermès bags.
Hermès Lindy Bag
A slouchy double-zip design, the Lindy works both handheld and over the shoulder. Its relaxed shape makes it a favorite for travel. Lately, the Mini Lindy has emerged as the trend piece of the family.
Hermès Picotin Bag
Inspired by a horse's feed bag, the Picotin is a small open bucket style. It skips lining and hardware complications in favor of a simple lock-through closure. When people search for a Hermès bucket bag, this is the one they mean. Starting near $3,000, it is often cited as the cheapest Hermès bag in leather.
Hermès Garden Party Bag
A practical tote in canvas and leather, made for daily errands. The Garden Party is the workhorse of the range and one of the easiest styles to find in a boutique. All-leather versions carry higher prices, while the canvas mix keeps entry costs down.
Other Hermès Bag Names Worth Knowing
There is real depth to the catalog. These styles come up constantly in boutiques and on the resale market:
Bolide — a rounded zip-top design and one of the first zippered handbags in history.
Roulis — a compact shoulder bag with a signature metal clasp — a subtler take on the Constance.
Herbag — canvas construction topped with a Kelly-style leather flap; the bags swap on one frame.
Geta — a small curved crossbody in Swift leather, launched in 2022 and still in demand.
Victoria — a soft, unstructured travel and everyday tote.
Della Cavalleria — the house's saddle bag silhouette, with a clasp drawn from equestrian hardware.
In-the-Loop — a contemporary bucket shape, especially popular pre-owned in the 18 size.
24/24, Halzan, Jypsière, Kelly Danse — flexible shoulder and crossbody styles built to convert between carries.
For men, the Haut à Courroies (the Birkin's ancestor), the Steve messenger bag, and the Cityback line lead the Hermès men's bag range.
How Much Is a Hermès Bag?
In short: from around $3,000 to far beyond $100,000. Here is a realistic price ladder:
Entry level (canvas and small leather): Herbag, Garden Party canvas, Picotin — around $3,000–$4,500
Everyday leather styles: Evelyne, Lindy, Bolide — roughly $3,500–$9,000
Structured icons: Constance, Kelly, Birkin — about $8,500–$13,000 and up retail
Exotics and rarities: crocodile, ostrich, and limited editions — $30,000 up to six figures
Retail prices climb most years, and quota bags typically resell at 1.5–2x retail.
How to Actually Get a Hermès Bag
Walk-in stock exists for Evelyne, Picotin, Garden Party, and similar styles, especially at larger boutiques. A Birkin or Kelly realistically comes one of two ways: a purchase history built with a sales associate, or a reputable pre-owned reseller.
On the pre-owned route, authentication is non-negotiable. Know how to tell if a Hermès bag is real before parting with money: examine the heat stamp, the hand-sewn saddle stitch (slightly angled), the hardware engravings, and the blind stamp. A fake Hermès bag is usually betrayed by machine-perfect stitching and lightweight hardware. Unsure? reddit costs a fraction of what the bag does.
Vintage Hermès bags reward buyers in their own way. Older Kellys and Bolides often cost less than new non-quota styles and carry patina no new bag can fake.
Which Hermès Bag Makes the Best First Buy?
If you want one answer: the Evelyne for casual daily use, the Constance if you dress up more often, and the Picotin if you want the lowest-cost entry into Hermès leather. Pursue the Birkin or Kelly after you know the house, or go authenticated pre-owned and skip the waitlist altogether.
More on this topic: our Hermès leather guide plus Birkin vs Kelly deep dive.
Every Hermès Bag Type and Name, Explained hermes body bag kelly
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