Perhaps the most exclusive classic designer handbag brand on our list, Hermès is everlasting in its appeal thanks to its timeless design and its rarity. The sale of any new bag lies wholly with the sales teams’ discretion—there’s no guarantee you’ll be offered the colour, size or even design you request, or if you’ll even be served that day. Don’t be disheartened if you aren’t—I know people who have been denied one day, only to return it and leave with a Hermès in hand. Like Chanels, they also hold their value on the resale market.
You’d be forgiven for assuming the Birkin would have made our prestigious list, but we think Kelly is Hermès’ unsung hero—as does Ghin. “The Hermès leather goods collection is exquisite in design and quality, but of all the styles, I would always go for a Kelly,” says Ghin. “Conceived in the 1930s, this handbag became an icon more than 20 years after its creation when Grace Kelly tactfully used it to conceal her first pregnancy. Available in two versions, the Sellier, which is structured and elegant or Retourné, which is softer, sporty, and less formal, a Kelly bag is a true icon that will suit everyone.”
