Kelly and Birkin bags
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At last count 23 Birkins and 4 Kelly’s the red bag in my hand is the latest it was £25 from a charity shop in London
Kelly bag
I brought this Kelly in a vintage store for £110 about 20 years ago the bag is Osprey its a classic moc croc leather
Grace Kelly
Growing up I was a huge fan of 1950s films I adored reading about the clothes and lifestyles of Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor & Doris Day. At weekends I would plough through London’s Camden Market and delve through boxes of junk in charity shops and of course Portobello Road
Bacall
Influence
All vintage a faux fur wrap my Dior skirt and pointed shoes.The Kelly is 23 years old in this picture
Kelly bag
although the picture quality is not great this post inspired by Bacall is one of my favourites
This is the first Kelly bag I owned (above)it was a Christmas gift from the man who is now my husband.I had seen Grace Kelly with a tan Hermes Kelly bag so I chose the colour and size with her in mind.The excitement of Christmas morning in 1995 sitting in my pyjamas has never left me ….I remember nothing else that Christmas
Grace Kelly carrying her Hermes bag ….
It all began in 1956 when the newly-wed Grace Kelly was photographed on the cover of Life magazine being helped from her car… in her right hand she held a Hermes petit sac haut a courroies in the hope of disguising her growing baby bump.. the bag was renamed The Kelly.. to this day there is a six-month waiting list.. white gloves optional…
The original Grace Kelly bag
Audrey Hepburn
Lauren Bacall
both images Elle
Hermes
Hermes
Established in 1837 Hermes is a French luxury goods manufacturer specialising in leather goods lifestyle accessories ready to wear watches and perfumery
The company logo since the 1950s is of a Duc carriage with horse
Check out the bag video on my Instagram feed
Kelly v Birkin
Kelly
top handle
one strap handle
shoulder strap inside
4 feet on base
Birkin
a tote bag
two handles
wider to hold more
The Birkin
The Birkin
The Birkin like the Kelly is named after another actress ..a chance encounter mid-air between Jane Birkin and the President of Hermes Jean Louis Dumas. The actress had arrived onboard carrying an overflowing basket and she complained that nobody had designed a bag large enough to carry her needs…with a large open easy top…the two collaborated throughout the flight, drawing on a sick bag..and in 1984 the iconic style was launched…in 2020,if you were lucky enough to go on the waitlist prices starting at $11,000
Jane Birkin
The first
I love the colour red and I wanted a colour that would go with everything and stand out.The bag is now 22 years old it has traveled around Europe with me ..it has seen some life ,the inside is suede and now quite worn away but it holds many happy memories
French connection
In 1998 I was working in Wimbledon village as a Manager for LKBennet it was a Sunday morning and I was starting at noon, I was early and decided to walk across Putney Bridge on the right-hand side vintage / 2nd hand shop I had not been in before. I saw this bag at £35 it wasn’t far short of that day’s salary I held it in my hand I really wanted it, I knew it was special, I quickly brought it and headed to work
Part Deux
A couple of years later I lifted the over flap and found folded tucked below the leather hidden away a French newspaper cutting and a picture..the bag is ostrich and very durable and a good size for carrying everything around inside
Shape
Another ostrich bag but the shape is much longer when John Paul Gaultier was the head designer at Hermes he introduced the longer style
Price
Investment
This remains the most expensive bag I have ever purchased I brought it in 1999.
When my father suggested I leave it in the boot of his car rather than carry it into a pub ….I told him the bag was worth more than his car and I was taking it in with me ! !
Travel
I have collected various shapes and sizes but this little black one had traveled the most
