Behind every Hermès bag there is a story, a waitlist, or both. The maison produces far more than the two famous icons. This guide covers the different Hermès bag names, what each style is for, roughly what they cost, and which ones you can actually walk in and buy.
If a specific model brought you here, jump to its section below. If you are starting from zero, read in order — the styles are grouped by how hard they are to get.
The Quota Bags: Birkin and Kelly
Hermès limits how many of its two flagship bags a client can buy each year. Collectors call these 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
The Birkin is the most famous handbag in the world. It is a structured tote with two top handles, a turn-lock closure, and no shoulder strap. The most common sizes are the 25, 30, and 35.
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. Diamond-encrusted crocodile Birkins hold the record as the most expensive Hermès bags, with auction prices in the hundreds of thousands.
Hermès Kelly Bag
Older and more refined, the Hermès Kelly bag pairs a single top handle with 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.
Kelly prices sit close to Birkin territory: roughly $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.
The Kelly vs Birkin question in one line: the Kelly is the dressy, fully-closing option; the Birkin is the casual, roomy, easy-access one.
Icons You Can Actually Order (No Quota)
You may still wait at busy boutiques, but no annual limit applies to these styles. For plenty of buyers, this is where the smart money lands.
Hermès Constance Bag
A structured shoulder bag with the big "H" clasp — the closest thing Hermès has to a logo bag. The Constance works day to night and holds its value almost as well as the quota bags. The Constance 18 starts at roughly $8,500 retail.
Hermès Evelyne Bag
The Evelyne is the house's casual crossbody bag. It features a perforated "H" front, a tab-closure open top, and a wide canvas strap. It was designed for grooming equestrian gear, which explains the ventilation holes. At roughly $3,500–$4,000, it is one of the most attainable everyday Hermès bags.
Hermès Lindy Bag
The Lindy is a relaxed double-zip bag that carries by hand or on the shoulder. Its relaxed shape makes it a favorite for travel. The Mini Lindy has become the trend piece of the line in recent years.
https://colab.research.google.com/drive/1YxK3uNXpO4cEsjq0RtcU0kC6wdS7L3Lt?usp=sharing takes its shape from a horse's feed bag — a small, open bucket design. It skips lining and hardware complications in favor of a simple lock-through closure. If you have searched for a Hermès bucket bag, this is the one people mean. Starting near $3,000, it is often cited as the cheapest Hermès bag in leather.
Hermès Garden Party Bag
A practical canvas-and-leather tote for daily errands. The Garden Party is the workhorse of the range and one of the easiest styles to find in a boutique. The all-leather versions cost more; the canvas mix keeps the entry price lower.
Other Hermès Bag Names Worth Knowing
There is real depth to the catalog. You will see these styles constantly in boutiques and on resale platforms:
Bolide — a rounded zip-top bag with a claim to being among the first zippered handbags ever made.
Roulis — a compact shoulder bag with a signature metal clasp — a subtler take on the Constance.
Herbag — a canvas body under a leather Kelly-style flap, with interchangeable bags on a single frame.
Geta — a small curved Swift-leather crossbody introduced in 2022 and still hard to find.
Victoria — an unstructured, soft tote suited to travel and everyday carry.
Della Cavalleria — the maison's saddle bag design, its clasp lifted straight from equestrian hardware.
In-the-Loop — a modern bucket-shaped style, popular in the 18 size on the pre-owned market.
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?
The short answer: anywhere from roughly $3,000 to well over $100,000. Here is a realistic price ladder:
Entry level (canvas and small leather): Herbag, Garden Party canvas, Picotin — roughly $3,000–$4,500
Everyday leather: Evelyne, Lindy, Bolide — around $3,500–$9,000
Structured icons: Constance, Kelly, Birkin — around $8,500–$13,000+ at retail
Exotics and rarities: crocodile, ostrich, and limited runs — from $30,000 into six figures
Prices rise most years, and secondary-market prices for quota bags typically sit 1.5–2x retail.
Getting a Hermès Bag: What Actually Works
Larger boutiques often carry walk-in stock of the Evelyne, Picotin, Garden Party, and similar styles. 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. Machine-perfect stitching and lightweight hardware usually give a fake Hermès bag away. If in doubt, pay for professional authentication — the fee is nothing compared with the bag's price.
There is a separate reward in vintage Hermès bags. 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?
Want a single answer? The Evelyne for casual days, the Constance for dressier lifestyles, and the Picotin for the cheapest route into Hermès leather. Chase the Birkin or Kelly once you know the house — or buy authenticated pre-owned and skip the waitlist entirely.
Related reading: our Hermès leather guide plus Birkin vs Kelly deep dive.
Hermès Bag Styles: The Complete Guide to Every Name rare hermes bag
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