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The Hermès Guide
Everything you need to know about leathers, sizes and the details that matter. before you buy or sell.
Togo
A pebbled, grainy leather that's scratch-resistant and holds its shape beautifully over time. Togo has the most stable resale value of all Hermès leathers, making it the collector's blue-chip choice: durable, low-maintenance and effortlessly elegant.
Clemence
Softer and heavier than Togo, with no visible veining. Known formally as Veau Taurillon Clemence, it's prized for its buttery softness and relaxed drape, a favourite for everyday bags.
Epsom
An embossed grain gives Epsom its structured, rigid feel. It's lightweight, scratch-resistant and easy to clean, and it takes the brightest, most vivid colours of any Hermès leather.
Swift
A fine-grain calfskin with a soft, smooth texture and a subtle sheen. It's lighter and glossier than Togo or Clemence, giving bags a refined, almost silky finish.
Box Calf
A smooth, glossy heritage leather with a polished, sophisticated appearance. It's beautiful, though it marks more easily, so it rewards careful handling.
Chèvre (Mysore)
Fine goatskin with a pronounced grain and a gentle sheen. It's lightweight, durable and naturally scratch-resistant, a favourite for smaller, structured bags.
Birkin Sizes
The number in each name is roughly the bag's width in centimetres, so a Birkin 30 measures about 30cm across.
| Size | Best For |
|---|---|
| Birkin 25 | The "Baby Birkin." Compact and jewel-like, it fits a phone, keys and a small wallet, making it an evening or occasion favourite. |
| Birkin 30 | The most popular size. It's spacious enough for a planner or makeup bag, while staying effortlessly chic on the arm. |
| Birkin 35 | The original Birkin silhouette, with generous, practical volume for everyday carrying. |
| Birkin 40 | A rare, sculptural format, best suited to travel or as a bold, oversized statement piece. |
Kelly Sizes
| Size | Best For |
|---|---|
| Mini Kelly (20) | A miniature, collectible format, worn more as a jewel than a functional bag. |
| Kelly 25 | Compact and refined, one of the most sought-after sizes for everyday elegance. |
| Kelly 28 | A versatile in-between size that balances capacity and silhouette. |
| Kelly 32 | The classic, most recognisable Kelly proportion. |
| Kelly 35 | A roomier, more practical size for daily use. |
Sellier vs. Retourne
Every Kelly, and some Birkins, comes in one of two constructions:
- Sellier: structured, with sharp edges and visible external stitching. It has a formal, architectural look.
- Retourne: softer and more relaxed, with stitching hidden on the inside. It has a casual, slouchier feel.
How to Read a Hermès Date Stamp
Every Hermès bag carries a small blind stamp, a letter usually enclosed in a shape, that indicates the year it was made. The system has changed over the decades.
- 1945 to 1970: a single letter with no surrounding shape (A equals 1945, continuing through the alphabet to Z for 1970).
- 1971 to 1996: the alphabet restarts, this time with the letter enclosed in a circle.
- 1997 to 2014: the letter is enclosed in a square.
- 2015 to present: Hermès moved to a more complex, randomised alphanumeric code as an added anti-counterfeiting measure.
Numbers or letters appearing alongside the date stamp usually indicate the atelier, the workshop, and the individual craftsperson who made the bag.
A Note on Colour
Hermès has released hundreds of colourways over the decades, and the same colour name can look subtly different depending on the leather it's stamped into. Epsom, for instance, tends to show colour more vividly than Togo or Clemence. Because exact shades can vary between production years, we always photograph and describe each piece individually rather than relying on the colour name alone.
A correct date stamp is a helpful clue, but it is not proof of authenticity on its own — the finest counterfeits replicate these stamps closely. Every piece we sell is verified by our in-house authentication process, regardless of its date stamp.