A Brief History
Hermès was founded in 1837 by French-German harness-maker Thierry Hermès. Originally known for its bespoke leather equestrian creations, the Parisian luxury goods label soon expanded into ready-to-wear and accessories — introducing its first handbag in 1922. By the 1950s, the brand had gained international success due to a widely published photograph of princess Grace Kelly carrying a Hermès handbag. The brand would later name the bag in her honour. Almost 200 years later, Hermès continues to handcraft each iconic bag in its leather goods atelier in Paris.
Blind Stamps
Hermès’ “blind stamp” — a code indicating the date of manufacture — is essential to ensuring the authenticity of your Hermès bag. Typically, the brand uses letters in alphabetical order, followed by a shape to date its bags.
1945–1970: No shape
1971–1996: Circle
1997-2014: Square
Late 2014–present: No shape
Date Stamps
Now, go find your blind stamp and look carefully — they’re called “blind” for a reason.
Use the chart below to help you decipher your Hermès handbag’s date of manufacture. Our tip? Start with the shape first.
The leathers and exotic skins used to craft your handbag are another key component to determining the authenticity of your Hermès. These hides, sourced from all over the world — Australia, Singapore, Africa — are of the highest quality. Hermès’ crocodile hides, for example, take up to a decade to dry before use. The leathers come in a range of types from the durable Epsom to the luxurious Togo.The blind stamp on your bag will include a symbol denoting the exotic skin used (if applicable).
Alligator: Square
Niloticus Crocodile: ..
Porosus Crocodile: ^
Lizard: –
Types of Materials
Togo Leather: A popular choice for Birkin and Kelly bags, it is durable with a soft, pebbled texture.
Clemence Leather: A slouchier, more supple leather with a matte, pebbled finish. Often used in larger bags like the Birkin.
Epsom Leather: A lightweight, embossed leather with a structured and rigid feel, resistant to scratches.
Swift Leather: A smooth, soft leather with a fine grain, which takes color beautifully but can be more delicate.
Box Calf Leather: A smooth, glossy leather that ages gracefully and develops a beautiful patina.
Barenia Leather: A smooth, untreated leather known for its ability to develop a rich patina over time, often used in saddle bags.
Evercolor Leather: A durable, textured leather that is less grainy than Epsom but more scratch-resistant than Swift.
H Toile Canvas: A sturdy cotton canvas material often used in combination with leather for bags like the Garden Party.
Cavalcadour Canvas: Another durable canvas often featured in more casual bags like the Herbag.
Hardware
The zipper, lock, clochette and hardware plate all feature unique details which can help authenticate your Hermès bag. Most Hermès hardware is either palladium or gold-plated but rarer bags can feature brushed gold, brushed silver, silver and ruthenium finishes. While tarnishing sometimes occurs, it is rare. Above all, Hermès hardware should never wear or peel.
Zipper
Hermès zippers are particularly unique in their functionality and appearance. An authentic Hermès zipper will remain parallel to the zipper line at all times — if it hangs downward or forms a 90 degree angle, you’re dealing with a knock off. Newer zippers are marked with the “HERMÈS” logo in uppercase letters — some may even feature the letter “H” at the base of the zipper.
Lock Clochette
All Hermès locks are engraved with “Hermès” in a clean, crisp font. The number on the lock corresponds to the number engraved on the accompanying keys. Watch out for the numbers 121, 212 and 102 — they tend to be the most commonly counterfeited numbers. Have a Hermès handbag in an exotic skin? The lock should be covered in the same material. Lastly, the clochette, which houses the keys, should be constructed from one single piece of leather — not two.
Hardware Plate
Hardware plates will always have “Hermès-Paris” engraved on them. While the font on the hardware plate depends on the year of manufacture, it should always be neat, crisp and evenly spaced. The metal on the hardware plate should also never fade or change colour.
Birkin Cargo: 40 cm (W) x 28 cm (H) x 16 cm (D)
Special Variations:
Kelly Pochette: 22 cm (W) x 13 cm (H) x 7 cm (D)
Kelly Cut: 31 cm (W) x 13 cm (H) x 2.5 cm (D)
Neutrals
- Noir: Classic black, versatile and timeless.
- Etoupe: A taupe shade with gray undertones.
- Gold: A warm tan color, often used for many products.
- Gris T: A medium gray, pairs well with many colors.
- Crème: A soft, creamy off-white.
- Beige: A light tan color, classic and neutral.
- Blanc: Bright white, fresh and clean.
- Café: A rich dark brown.
- Nata: A soft, creamy off white.
- Craie: A soft, creamy white or light beige, reminiscent of chalk.
- Cognac: A warm, amber brown.
- Chocolate: A deep, dark brown reminiscent of chocolate.
- Fawn: A lighter beige-brown.
- Sienna: A reddish-brown hue.
- Chai: A rich, medium brown hue.
- Rouge H: A deep, classic red with brown undertones.
- Rouge Casaque: A bright, vibrant red.
- Bordeaux: A dark burgundy color.
- Poppy: A bright, cheerful red-orange.
- Orange: The signature Hermès orange, bright and iconic.
- Capucine: A warm orange with slight red undertones.
- Tangerine: A bright and fresh orange.
- Jaune: A bright, cheerful yellow.
- Miel: A warm honey yellow.
- Soleil: A sunny, warm yellow.
- Vert Tilleul: A fresh, light green.
- Vert Anis: A vibrant, fresh green.
- Olive: A muted, earthy green.
- Cypress: A rich, dark green.
- Bleu Jean: A classic denim blue.
- Bleu Saphir: A deep, luxurious sapphire blue.
- Bleu Izmir: A vibrant turquoise blue.
- Bleu Nuit: A dark navy blue.
- Anémone: A vibrant purple.
- Fuchsia: A bright, bold pinkish-purple.
- Violet: A rich, deep purple.
- Lilas: A soft lilac.
- Rose Shocking: A bright, vibrant pink.
- Rose Tyrien: A deeper pink with elegance.
- Framboise: A deep raspberry pink, vibrant and striking.
- Rose: A classic soft pink.
- Rose Poudre: A delicate, pastel pink.
- Rose Azalee: A light, warm pink that has a fresh and airy feel.
- Pétale: A soft, pastel pink, reminiscent of flower petals.
- Gris Perle: A soft, pearly gray.
- Gris Mouette: A light gray.
- Étain: A muted gray with subtle brown undertones.
- Béton: A soft gray tone with a hint of beige.
- Chartreuse: A vibrant yellow-green.
- Turquoise: A bright, tropical blue-green.
- Brique: A warm brick red color.
- Zinc: A soft grayish color.
Hermès frequently releases new seasonal colors. Some notable colors introduced in recent years include:
- Rose Azalea
- Soleil
- Mauve Sylvestre
- Rosa (Rose)
- Vert de Grisé (Grayish Green)