The craftsmanship that goes into each Hermès bag makes production a slow and painstaking process. Some bags take days to produce and, as such, demand far outweighs supply, making them the most exclusive handbags available. This unparalleled quality and rarity make each Hermès bag a collector’s piece, but some bags take this exclusivity to another level. We’ve selected some of our favorite rare and limited editions that would make any collector swoon.
The Himalaya Birkin is hailed as the ultimate addition to any Hermès collection. The key to its status as the ‘holy grail of handbags’ is both the exceptional quality of materials and the craftsmanship that goes into making it. Niloticus Crocodile skin is dyed using a top-secret method to achieve the delicate gradation of grey, brown and white, reminiscent of the mountains of its namesake region. In 2017, the world record for the most expensive bag ever sold at auction was broken with a Matte Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin featuring Diamond encrusted hardware. It is predicted the price for these pieces will continue to rise, making the Hermès Himalaya a better investment than gold.
This charming and extremely rare Birkin 20 Sellier was created for a handful of VIP customers, modeled on the facade of the 24 Rue de Faubourg Saint Honore Hermès store in Paris, the home of the brand since 1880. There are two versions. A brown version in Gold, Ebene, Orange, Bruless and Craie represents the store during the day. It is crafted from matte Crocodile on the flap and handles, a Madame body, Sombrero, Epsom and Swift leathers for the stonework, window panes and 3D awnings. A navy version in Bleu Marine matte Alligator, Deep Blue Madame calfskin, Bleu Indigo Sombrero, Craie Epsom and Bleu Obsure Sombrero leather represents the store’s likeness at night.
Another fun detail is the clochette, designed to look like the Hermès shopping bag, complete with handles.
This long, sleek clutch has all the appeal of a classic Kelly bag, but in a compact, rectangular shape, ideal for evenings out. It has a collapsable handle so you have the option to hold it from the top or, alternatively, you can carry it as a clutch. Limited production and high demand make this one of Hermès’ most coveted bags.
The Hermès Rainbow Birkin Sellier and Rainbow Bolide 1923 were launched in 2020. The bags each feature four large horizontal stripes across the bag. The “Sunrise” version is in Lime, Sesame, Rose Confetti and Terre Battue, while the “Sunset” version is in Apricot, Blue Agate, Magnolia and Rouge Casaque. The Birkins in particular are extremely popular and hard to find.
Jean-Paul Gaultier’s time as creative director at Hermès is considered one of the fashion house’s most exciting. One of the designs he is best known for is the Shadow Birkin 35, which uses trompe-l’œil to give the illusion of Birkin features. The iconic flap and front straps are embossed onto the Swift leather bag which is, in fact, an open-top tote. This illusion makes it the only Birkin in Hermès’ history that has an entirely different structure. This limited edition bag was originally released in 2009 and 2010 and was re-released in 2019.
Nothing says summer better than 2011’s Kelly Picnic in Osier wicker, which is expertly hand-crafted by artisans to be remarkably durable. This whimsical limited edition release is still one of the most sought-after bags on the secondary market.
