VINTAGE BOX KELLY

As my taste has shifted and my style has evolved over the years, my appreciation for Vintage Kelly bags have grown. When I started my “Hermès Journey” a few years ago, it was the typical Birkin in Togo and Epsom Kelly Sellier that were at the top of my list. I wasn’t new to shopping pre-owned but never thought of Hermès because of the prices that they usually go for in the pre-loved market. Then I noticed Vintage Box Kelly bags were going for around retail or even below retail. In my opinion, I find them to be the most beautiful Kelly bags. There’s just something about the box leather and when it comes to pre-loved bags, I’m a little less wary about the maintenance because they’re all at least 20+ years old by the time they make their way into my collection.

In my collection is a 1991 Vert Fonce Kelly 28 in Sellier, a 1992 Black Kelly 28 in Retourne, and a 1986 Shoulder Kelly currently at the Hermes Spa in Paris getting some much needed TLC.

Below are my Vintage Kelly bags in box, a beautiful heritage leather for the House of Hermés and links to some finds on the pre-loved market as well.

KELLY 28 SELLIER

My first Vintage Kelly was actually a Box Kelly in a size 32, however, when I found this 1991 Kelly 28 at What Goes Around NYC in this stunning Vert Fonce Green, a color I saw for the first time during one of my visits to Sotheby’s, I decided to sell the 32. At times, the 32 felt too big so I knew this size would be perfect. I also loved the idea of finding a birth year bag, something about a Vintage piece that is the same age as I am felt like a cool find.

The current retail price of a Box Kelly 28 in Sellier to my knowledge is $13,900 (according to a thread on the Purse Forum.) Unsure if the silhouette, Retourne or Sellier affects this pricing.

This is the only Hermés bag in which I paid over retail with it being priced at $14,300. Zero regrets, I love this color and it was in wonderful condition for being a bag from 1991.

VINTANGE SHOULDER KELLY

I have loved the Shoulder Kelly for quite sometime but because of its rarity, the prices for this bag were always north of $17,000. Unsure what the retail price of this was at the time but the closest silhouette to this style is the Kelly Sellier 20 en Desordre.

I found this in December of 2022 on The RealReal for $9000. It was in rough condition but I had hopes of sending it to the Hermés Spa and bringing it back to life. When it comes to the Hermés Spa, the artisans will only touch it if it hasn’t been touched outside of the Hermés Atelier. I sent it off to Paris and had to wait a few weeks before finding out if the bag would be accepted by the artisans or not. Luckily, they have accepted the bag and it is now currently being worked on. I should have her bag in a few months and will provide updates as well as the breakdown of this service including cost.

Below are shoulder Kelly bags that are linked but definitely don’t suggest buying for those prices. If I find any steals, I’ll let you know on my IG stories!

KELLY 28 RETOURNE

The most recent acquisition is another from What Goes Around NYC. I had a gift card and had no intensions of adding another Kelly to the mix, until I came across this one. The Retourne isn’t everyones cup of tea when it comes to Kellys, but I personally love the softness of it. This one was $12,500 and with my gift card and birthday around the corner, I ended up taking it home and brought it along with me to Paris.

Having both Sellier and Retourne K28s, I definitely find that they have different vibes to them. One is clearly more structured and the other a bit more laid back. I don’t really name my bags, but for these two, they’re Mary-Kate and Ashley. You can guess which is which, lol.