The Herbag is the Hermès bag that looks like a Kelly, costs a fraction of one, and is genuinely available. It is built from canvas and leather rather than full calfskin, and that single decision changes everything about its price and its practicality. Our team in Japan sees Herbags regularly, and they are one of the most common first Hermès purchases for good reason.
What the Herbag is
The current version, the Herbag Zip, is a two-part bag: a leather frame with the flap, straps, turnlock and handle, and a canvas body that clips into it. The silhouette borrows directly from the Kelly - trapezoid shape, single top handle, front flap with two straps and a turnlock closure - but the construction is completely different. A zip along the top of the canvas body closes the bag underneath the flap, which is where the Zip name comes from and why it is more secure in a crowd than an actual Kelly.
Sizes and materials
- Herbag Zip 31 - roughly 31 cm wide and around 25 cm tall. The everyday size, comparable in capacity to a Kelly 28.
- Herbag Zip 39 - roughly 39 cm wide. A large tote that carries a laptop and a day's worth of work.
- Body in Toile H canvas, usually in a two-tone weave, with trim, flap and handle in Vache Hunter leather.
- Hardware in palladium or gold tone, with the same turnlock plate design as the Kelly.
- Both sizes come with a detachable leather-and-canvas shoulder strap.
The interchangeable body is the Herbag's cleverest feature. Hermès has sold spare canvas bodies in different colours, so a single leather frame can be swapped between them. Whether a pre-owned bag comes with a spare body matters a lot to the price.
Who it suits
Anyone who wants the Kelly line without the outlay, and anyone who wants a Hermès bag they can carry in the rain without a moment of panic. The canvas is light, so the bag weighs far less than a leather Kelly of the same size. The trade-off is that canvas absorbs stains and greys at the corners, and it does not have the presence of full leather. If you want an heirloom, this is not it. If you want a bag you will use twice a week for years, it is excellent.
What to check before buying pre-owned
- Canvas corners. The four base corners fray and grey first. This is the single biggest condition variable.
- Vache Hunter leather. It darkens with use, which is expected. Look for cracking at the flap fold and at the strap holes.
- Turnlock. It should rotate with resistance and hold. A loose plate means worn threads underneath.
- Body zip. Run it end to end. Replacements are possible but not cheap.
- Clip attachments. Confirm the canvas body is properly seated and every clip is intact.
- Interior. Canvas lining picks up pen and cosmetic marks permanently.
Price reality on the pre-owned market
Herbag Zip 31s in good used condition typically run somewhere around 2,800 to 4,500 USD, with the 39 usually a little higher and exceptional or near-new examples pushing above that. A bag sold with an extra canvas body or with box and dust bag carries a real premium. Heavily greyed canvas should pull the price down substantially, and we grade it honestly rather than photographing around it. Prices move with condition more sharply on the Herbag than on leather Hermès bags, precisely because canvas shows its history.
Browse our Hermès collection to see what is available now, and read Vintage Hermès Without the Waitlist if you are weighing the Herbag against the Picotin, Bolide or Fourre-Tout.