All About Mini Kelly – and How To Get One

Classic, simple and holds all the necessities, perhaps the Hermès Mini Kelly might be the bag I reach for the most. If I don’t need my laptop and agenda with me, the Mini Kelly holds all the things I need – lipstick, wallet, keys and phone. Looking so elegant while also being practical if you don’t want to be carrying around a bigger bag. For daytime outfits I like to wear it with the crossbody strap, whereas at night I just hold it by the handle and remove the strap.

The Hermès Mini Kelly bag has a more truncated trapezoid silhouette than its larger sisters. You can carry it by the curved top handle in your hand and the sharp edges (the reissued Mini Kelly II only comes in the Sellier cut) exude ladylike chic. The handle, however, will not fit your wrist or arm, unlike larger Kelly sizes. But fear not—the delicate shoulder strap allows you to wear the bag crossbody while keeping your hands free.

The handbag closes similarly to classic Kelly bags, with two thin leather straps connected by a turn-lock made of precious metal. However, the leather Clochette and padlock found on Birkin and Kelly bags are absent from the Mini Kelly. It has a small slip pocket inside where you can put your ID or credit card.

Understanding the differences between the leathers is crucial because Hermes uses a variety of leathers in its collection. The texture of some of the most well-liked leathers, including Clemence, Epsom, Togo, and Chevre leather, increases their resistance to wear and tear. Epsom leather is the most forgiving leather type, so most Hermes lovers prefer to purchase their handbags in this material (aka will look new for many years to come).

Gulliver and calf leathers are smoother leathers that feel softer to the touch but may be more susceptible to minor scratches.Exotic materials like lizard, crocodile, and ostrich may require additional maintenance, but there’s a reason they often have a higher resale value: they’re highly sought-after in terms of aesthetics and prestige.

Your favorite thing to fantasize about is probably the color of your first Kelly bag. From bright yellow Saffron to sleek blue-black Ink, the Hermes color palette is both brilliant and delectable. Rouge Hermès, Noir, and Gold are timeless colors that can be worn decade after decade and even passed down to your daughters. Given that the colors never go out of style, they are wardrobe staples for a lifetime. Your Kelly will be easy to match with any outfit if it is a neutral colour.

In my collection I have: Noir, Gold, Bleu Brume and Jade Vert. There is definitely space for one or two other Mini Kelly in my collection

Brass is used for the Hermes handbag hardware, which is then expertly plated with priceless metals like palladium or gold. It’s simple to lose yourself in the vibrant colours and luxurious leathers available when considering your next magnificent Hermès bag purchase. The metal hardware, such as palladium-plated hardware, gold, rose gold, and other rare hardwares, is chosen to match each bag and deserves thought and consideration.

The first Mini Kelly I ever got was the Noir with Gold Hardware in epsom leather. At fits I mostly wore it in the evenings but later learned that Mini Kelly is actually coolest when worn with casual daily outfits, specially when worn as a cross body bag that fits your essentials while you run errands.

Personally, this wasn’t my first choice for the quota bag, but you can read more about that here. However I do think that Mini Kellies are hard to come across. Some boutiques refuse to even put them on the wish list system, and they claim that they only offer them as a coincidental purchase(i.e if you come by on the day they received the stock), but Im not sure we fully believe this system.

My favourite place to get Hermès quota bags is Paris Faubourg Boutique because I always get inspired by their displays and can plan my next move. This is the place that I also believe has the largest amount of items and I love developing relationship with team there. To find out how to get yourself a quota bag from the boutique make sure to read my article here.