Article | A lesson on Hermès: Birkin vs Kelly | thoseextra4inches.com
Can you tell the difference between Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags? I thought about this on Monday when watching The Hills, seeing Heidi’s bag, and then realizing that I wasn’t sure which one it was.
I’ve never become obsessed with Hermès bags simply because they’ve never been in my price range (which is why I never really took the time to notice the difference in styles), but I do own a few of their scarves, twillys, a pair of lady gloves, and one of their fragrances. Since I didn’t know exactly which was which (and as a young fashionable person, I really should), I’ve put together a bit on the bags…
About both bags:
Prices for both begin around $7,000 and can go well beyond $50,000
Part of the price of all Hermès bags is the privilege to bring it into any boutique to be sent to Paris for a “spa treatment” where the bag, no matter how old or abused, will be bought back to the best possible condition…for an additional cost of several hundred dollars
Both bags can be customized to the buyers specifications
Locks and keys are number-coded
Lining is usually made of goat skin that matches the color of the exterior skin
Identifiable by their metal-tipped clasp, which can be closed with a tiny padlock (and the clasp’s hidden key often dangles from the handle in a leather sheath of its own)
Not sold online and never ever will be
Famous for their waiting lists - Remember on Sex and the City when Samantha used Lucy Liu’s name to score the red one faster?
The Hermès Kelly Bag:
Named after Grace Kelly
Became famous in 1956 when Grace Kelly (then Princess of Monaco) used one to shield her pregnant stomach from the prying eyes of the paparazzi
More formal than the Birkin
Comes in 5 different sizes (although possibly more from looking at the Fall runway show)
It takes a single craftsman about 18 hours to make one
The Hermès Birkin Bag:
Named after Jane Birkin (who has an interesting history with the company)
5 Birkins are produced a week at the Hermès Atelier in Paris
More casual than the Kelly & has a slightly younger more bohemian appeal
With an open top, it is easier to open than the Kelly
Both Jay-Z and Lil’ Kim have both rapped about the Birkin
I think I’d go with a Birkin, but which one do you like? Do you know anyone who carries either a Birkin or a Kelly? Do you think they are worth the price
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