Dear PurseBop: If You Could Choose Only One Hermès Quota Bag what bag and color would you choose?
Dear Help Me Choose:
Selecting a single Hermès quota bag may feel challenging. However, by considering your personal taste, lifestyle, budget, preferences, and the intended use of the bag, the choice will become much clearer. Here is all the information you need to simplify your decision.
Since quota bags are typically either a Birkin or a Kelly, we’ll focus on these options, though some boutiques may also consider other models like the Constance and certain Kelly variations as quota bags.
photo courtesy @je.suis.lou
The Birkin
The Birkin is iconic, famously named after British model Jane Birkin, who inspired its creation during a flight with the Hermès CEO. Designed to suit her needs as a working mother, the Birkin remains a symbol of luxury and functionality.
photo courtesy @fnch310
If you prefer a handheld bag with ample room, either the Birkin 25 or 30 is an excellent choice. While some find the Birkin 25 too small for everyday use, the Birkin 30 offers a perfect balance, transitioning seamlessly from day to night. It’s spacious enough for essentials without being cumbersome, adding elegance to both casual and dressy outfits.
photo courtesy @stellaw2021
For color, opting for Noir, Gold, or Etoupe with either gold or palladium hardware ensures a timeless, versatile piece that will hold its value and remain stylish for a lifetime. A Birkin in these shades is a true investment, embodying classic Hermès craftsmanship.
photo courtesy @mirage_style
photo courtesy @bagsionista
The Kelly
The Kelly, named after Grace Kelly in the 1950’s, offers the convenience of a shoulder strap, making it a great choice if you prefer hands-free carry. Slightly less recognizable than the Birkin, the Kelly’s understated elegance appeals to those with a classic style.
The Kelly 25, 28, and 32 are all versatile sizes, depending on how much you typically carry. The petite but powerful mini Kelly 20 is also an option if you carry very little in your bag, hold your phone in your hand, and want a great crossbody or handheld bag that transitions from day to night seamlessly. The mini Kelly also can easily remain on your body when in restaurants, events, and shopping for peace of mind from thefts or loss.
photo courtesy @stellaw2021
A Kelly in Noir, Gold, or Etoupe (or any similar neutral color) is equally timeless and versatile, ensuring it complements any wardrobe and occasion.
photo courtesy @stylishsheba
Kelly Sellier vs. Kelly Retourne
The Hermès Kelly bag comes in two main styles: Sellier and Retourne. Each style has its own unique characteristics, affecting the bag’s appearance, structure, and overall vibe. Here are the differences between the Kelly Sellier and Kelly Retourne.
photo courtesy @maddieshops
Hermès Kelly Sellier
The Sellier style features sharp, clean lines with a more structured and formal appearance. The edges are stitched on the outside, creating a pronounced and angular look.
The exterior stitching and construction result in a more structured silhouette.
The stitching is visible on the outside, giving the bag a defined and polished finish.
Often made from more rigid leathers like Epsom, Box Calf, Chevre, Madame Calfskin, and Tadelakt, which help maintain its structured shape.
The Sellier style has a more formal and elegant appearance, suitable for dressier occasions.
Its structured form makes it ideal for professional settings and events where a polished look is desired.
photo courtesy @camillaslifestylediary
Hermès Kelly Retourne
The Retourne style has a softer, more relaxed look. The bag is turned inside out during the construction process, resulting in a less rigid structure.
The edges are rounded, and the stitching is on the inside, giving it a more casual, supple appearance.
The stitching is hidden inside the bag, contributing to its softer silhouette.
Often made from softer leathers like Togo, Clemence, and Swift, which enhance its relaxed, slouchy form.
The Retourne style is more casual and versatile, suitable for both everyday use and more relaxed occasions.
Its softer structure makes it comfortable to carry and more accommodating for various items.
photo courtesy @techfashionmishmash
Choosing between the Kelly Sellier and Kelly Retourne depends on your personal style and the occasions for which you plan to use the bag. The Sellier is ideal for a polished, professional look, while the Retourne offers a more relaxed, versatile option for everyday use.
No matter which one you choose, a Hermès quota bag is a lifelong treasure that embodies luxury, style, and practicality. You can’t go wrong.
Dear PurseBop loves answering your questions. Keep submitting your questions here and click here to explore all past questions and answers shared by our community members.
The Hermes Birkin and Kelly bags are known as 'quota bags,' meaning that buyers can only get a maximum of two of these bags in any calendar year. Hermes bags are extremely exclusive, and buyers have to be offered them in order to make a purchase.
No one is allowed to buy more than two quota bags in a given year. So, what is an Hermès quota bag? Strictly speaking, any Birkin or Kelly bag, including the Mini Kelly II, is considered a quota bag, and its purchase is restricted. However, some boutiques also include the Hermès Constance among their quota bags.
What is the Quota System? Hermès maintains its exclusivity and rarity by employing a quota system, limiting the number of “quota bags” that any one customer can buy to just two per year. Which Bags are Quota Bags? All Hermès stores include Birkin and Kelly including the Mini Kelly II, as quota bags.
Some bags are allocated via waitlists, others offered at the sales associate's discretion. Others are reportedly offered on a first-come-first-serve basis, particularly at the brand's original flagship location in Paris.
In Uzunova's experience, she had to reach a 1-to-1 spending ratio to qualify for a quota bag. In other words, to unlock the opportunity to buy a $12,000 Birkin, a shopper would first have to spend $12,000 on other products from the brand.
Bags with “Kelly” in their name such as the Kelly Pochette and Kelly Cut, Kelly Danse, and the Kelly To Go are treated like quota bags in both leather and exotic skins. The Roulis bag in general has not been considered a quota bag to our knowledge.
Looking to sidestep the Hermès Game and score the bag their heart desires, handbag enthusiasts shell out tens of thousands of dollars on the resale market. Thanks to its exclusivity and its status as an investment piece, a Birkin bag's value is much higher than its sticker price of around $12,000.
When starting your Hermès journey, you do not technically need a prior spend history to request an Evelyne bag or other non-quota bag such as a Garden Party, Picotin, Lindy, Herbag, etc.
It may take you a while, but you can buy a Birkin straight from the boutique. You just can't walk into an Hermès boutique and buy a Birkin immediately. It must be ordered, and there is a waiting list. You also can't buy the Birkin, Kelly, or most of Hermès's more iconic styles online.
Some areas of the US have smaller, less competitive Hermès stores where it may be easier to be offered a mini Kelly than a Birkin 25, such as in your situation. Other big city locations such as New York City and Beverly Hills are highly competitive and being offered a mini Kelly is akin to winning the lottery.
Hermès has a monopoly on Birkin bags, so the suit alleges, and the Hermès Game amounts to tying, a potentially anticompetitive practice in which buyers are required to purchase additional, unwanted goods as a precondition of receiving a desirable product.
This process increases the value of the bag exponentially because the demand vastly exceeds the supply. However, non-quota bags such as the Picotin, the Herbag, the Evelyne, the Lindy, and others generally do not see the same increase on the secondary market.
When starting your Hermès journey, you do not technically need a prior spend history to request an Evelyne bag or other non-quota bag such as a Garden Party, Picotin, Lindy, Herbag, etc. Theoretically, if it is in stock, an SA could sell it to you.
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