+ Kelly bag … love it!

It was love at first sight – a great design: simple, elegant and timeless. I searched antique markets in the hope of finding one but there was no chance … not with my hard-earned pocket money. Even a well-used bag sells for $7,000 and up! And you’ll NEVER get an authentic Kelly bag on eBay (or anywhere else) for an unrealistic price. Only a handful of lucky ladies receive their Kelly bags directly from Hermes in Paris each year, and the waiting lists are closed. Hermès offers DIY “cut & glue” models of the Kelly bag, so you can print it and assemble your own mini-Kelly. It’s a fun little time waster and a great way to play pretend. If you’re crafty, you could use the template to make your own version in fabric. To build your own Kelly: http://lesailes.hermes.com/us/en/
Or download template --> here

Why, exactly, are they so expensive, so obsessively coveted?
Kelly bags are among the most coveted fashion accessories in the world. It is crafted entirely by hand by a single artisan from start to finish, and embellished with a petite padlock, keys and gleaming hardware made of white or yellow gold. They are beautifully made. The bottom is built of three layers of leather. A single artisan can spend up to 25 hours painstakingly constructing a Kelly.

Hermès Bags Fall 2008

photo credit: www.purseblog.com

1. 34cm Vert Olive Clemence Jipsy With PHW
2. 34cm Parchmein Clemence Jipsy With PHW
3. 37cmGraphiteClemenceJipsyWith PHW
4. Semi Matte Havana Croc Porosus Hermès Kelly Pochette With PHW
5. Hermès Kelly longue
6. Vintage ostrich
(Hermès Kelly worn as a messenger bag at the hip, named the Hermes Jipsy.)

Some basic hints to buy an AUTHENTIC Hermès from the former employee of Hermès

1) Hermès bags NEVER come with a paper hangtag.

2) An authentic Hermès Kelly has an engraved lock and key set with "Hermès" on the base and the keys will be numbered to match the number of the lock. Some sets with vintage bags also say “Hermès” on the reverse side.

3) Hermès uses a very specific series of embossed markings on their bags. They NEVER use a metal nameplate inside the bag.

4) Current Hermes dustbags as of mid-2007 are tan herringbone toile. Previously, the dustbags were orange heavyweight cotton flannel, however older bags (vintage) may come with a tan velour dustbag of a slightly different design.

5) Pay careful attention to the accents over the e in Hermès, as well as the placement of the feet.

6) Take a careful look at all of the stitching, the quality of the leather, and the finishing details. Remember that bags sell for $10,000 and up. Does the bag you are looking at look like a ten thousand dollar handbag?

Thanks to HermesGoddess for the useful tips

-. . ^_ ^ . . .- * -. ._ - * - . . . > - * . ->. -

......................................................