Hermès handbags: the 10 styles on collectors’ most-wanted list

The Hermès Faubourg Birkin was first introduced in a very limited edition at the end of 2019 and has since been released in six main colourways: Day, Night, Midnight, Snow, Disco and Rainy Days. The bag pays homage to the façade of the Hermès flagship store at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, and features orange awnings and a clochette designed after the company’s instantly recognisable orange shopping bag. The first Birkin to be crafted in a 20-centimetre size, it features exceptional material combinations and sleek Sellier stitching, a detail typically reserved for Kellys.

In 2024, Hermès released the Faubourg Rouge Sellier, an ultra-limited edition of fewer than 10. ‘The Rouge Faubourg Birkin is the rarest Faubourg Birkin in the world,’ says Max Brownawell, head of Handbags and Accessories at Christie’s in New York. In June 2026, Christie’s sold the example above for €635,000, setting a new world record for the Hermès Faubourg Birkin at auction.

The Hermès Himalaya Kelly is one of the most desirable handbags in existence. Produced in limited numbers, it is crafted from Nile crocodile hide, which is hand-dyed to create a delicate ombré effect that evokes the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan mountains. ‘It requires great skill to achieve the subtle gradation effect, so only the most senior Hermès artisans can execute these bags,’ says Brownawell. Hermès Himalaya Kellys with diamond hardware are the most desirable of all.

This example was the first diamond Himalaya Kelly 28 to be offered at auction. It realised HK$4,000,000 — about US$510,000 — in 2021, then a world-record price for a handbag sold at auction.

The Hermès Himalaya Birkin is widely considered the Holy Grail of handbag collecting. ‘Synonymous with precious materials, superlative design and exquisite craftsmanship, it is the ultimate expression of the artistry and tradition of the storied maison,’ says Brownawell. Like the Kelly, it is crafted from Nile crocodile hide featuring a colour gradation that resembles the snow-capped Himalayan mountains.

The most precious models are those with pavé-set diamonds and 18k white gold hardware. In November 2025, this diamond Himalaya Birkin 25 sold for HK$3,556,000 (about US$459,000) at Christie’s in Hong Kong.

The Hermès Quelle Idole, also known as the Kelly Doll, was first introduced in 2000 by then chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas. The playful design, featuring a whimsical face, movable arms and forward-facing feet, was an instant hit with the fashion world, and the Quelle Idole soon became ‘one of the ultimate collector’s handbags’, says Brownawell.

At auction, exotic examples often attract particular interest. The two bags above hold the joint record for the style.

Hermès is known for using exotic materials such as crocodile, alligator, lizard and ostrich, but feathered items are among its most rarely released. To make these prized pieces, Hermès collaborates with Maison Lemarié, the haute-couture feather workshop founded in 1880. ‘Feathered Kellys are some of the most beautiful and exquisitely crafted bags in the world,’ says Brownawell, who explains that the multicoloured mosaic pattern on the example below was inspired by Japanese boro fabrics.

‘Only two other examples of this edition are known, making it one of the rarest bags ever to have appeared at auction,’ notes the specialist. In 2021, it more than tripled its high estimate when it sold for HK$2,750,000 (around US$354,000).

The Constance, which first appeared in 1959, was designed by Catherine Chaillet, who named it after her newborn daughter. Alongside the Birkin and the Kelly, it is one of Hermès’s ‘Big Three’, meaning that boutiques limit how many examples a single client can purchase each year. Though created more than 50 years ago, it remains a collector’s favourite thanks to its elegant shape, compact design and instantly recognisable H clasp.

‘This Himalaya Constance is the most expensive Constance bag ever sold at auction,’ says Brownawell. ‘It features brown coloured diamonds on the clasp that mimic the colouring of the crocodile hide.’

Handbags in the Hermès Exceptional Collection combine the brand’s famed leather craftsmanship and with fine jewellery, making them among the most highly sought-after bags on the secondary market. Hermès Exceptional bags can feature more than 10 carats of brilliant diamonds, and 18k white gold weighing in at more than 170g.

In 2021, this example sold for HK$2,250,000 (about US$289,000) at Christie’s in Hong Kong, a record result for a non-Himalaya diamond Birkin sold at auction.

The Hermès Mini Kelly first appeared in 1957 and has been reimagined many times since. The now classic Hermès Mini Kelly 20 Retourné was introduced in 1990, discontinued in 2009, and then revived as the Mini Kelly 20 II in 2016.

Produced in the 1990s, the Hermès sterling-silver Mini Kelly is among the rarest handbags in the world. In June 2026, this example sold for €228,600 — nearly three times the high estimate.

Jean Paul Gaultier introduced the Hermès Shoulder Birkin in 2004 as part of his first Autumn/Winter runway collection for the company. The model features an elongated east-west shape, a widened body and extended handles designed to be worn comfortably over the shoulder. In 2025, Hermès reimagined Gaultier’s original design to produce the Shoulder Birkin Light, which has a more streamlined construction.

JPG Shoulder Birkins are popular at auction, and those crafted in exotic leathers often command high prices. In May 2026, this shiny rose crocodile example soared above its high estimate of HK$220,000 to sell for HK$1,905,000 (about US$243,000).

Another of Jean Paul Gaultier’s coveted designs is the Kelly Pochette, which was first introduced in 2004. The compact clutch design features the signature Kelly flap, sangles, turn-lock closure and top handle; but, unlike the Kelly, it does not have a removable strap.

This special-order example was offered in June 2026 at Christie’s Hong Kong, where it soared above the estimate to realise €190,500.

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Related makers: Hermès