Bag charms divide people. To some, they are a playful way to add a little personality to your bag. To others, they are too childish. Whatever your feelings, there’s no question that, although they are a fairly new addition to the Hermès repertoire, they exemplify the whimsical nature of the brand.
They also add a little bit of personality to your bag. If you have just one bag or you carry a classic piece, like an Etoupe Birkin 30 Togo, then it’s a fun idea to have a few bag charms on rotation to give the bag more personality and individuality.
Read our guide to some of Hermès best-known, most-loved and rarest bag charms.
Rodeo bag charms are some of Hermès’ best-known. These horse-shaped designs date back to 2005 and have only gained in popularity since their debut. New colorways are regularly added, bringing the current collection to around 90 combinations. Most of these cute designs are crafted from a soft, supple leather called Milo, which is also used for Hermès gloves.
Rodeos come in a range of colors and styles. The most common version is tri-color, with the body, saddle and the main and tail three different colors. There is also a one, two and four-color version and a six-color bi-sided version. Some of the most highly-coveted styles are a version with real horsehair for the mane and tail, the Rodeo Touch, with an Alligator saddle and the So Black version.
If you prefer your bag charms a little extra, the Rodeo Pegasus might be what you’re looking for. This winged horse, launched in 2021 is even more whimsical than the original despite fewer colorways.
Rodeo come in three sizes, PM (9.7 cm x 7.8 cm), MM (12.7 cm x 10.5 cm) and GM (13.3 cm x 11.1cm).
If you love Rodeo, chances are you’ll love Rooroo, too. This stuffed tigress is a relatively new addition to the Hermès bag charm collective. It has less variables than the Rodeo, but is similarly charming. All Rooroos are one size, made of Milo lambskin and are slightly larger than a Rodeo PM. Each piece is bi-color, with its stripes (and sometimes leather tie) a different color from the main body.
In 2021, the Buddy Shearling Charm was released, immediately capturing our hearts. This leather and shearling charm became an instant hit and is one of the harder bag charms to find on the second-hand market. Add a fluffy flourish to your handbag with this cutie.
One much-loved Hermès bag charm tradition is to take one of its most iconic designs and create a nano version of it. Hermès’ best-known shoe, the Oran Sandal, made its debut in 1997. It’s instantly recognizable from the letter ‘H’ across the toe and remains one of the brand’s most popular non-bag items. The statement sandal was reimagined as a one-size bag charm from 2012 onwards, available in leathers including Epsom and Lizard.
Wearing a full-size Carre silk scarve often obscures much of the fabulous design of the piece, but a miniature version, printed onto Swift leather and worn as a bag charm, allows the design to be seen in all its glory. The Carre Nano bag charm collection features some of the most celebrated Carre designs of the past years, including “Brides de Gala” by Hugo Grykar and Florence Mankik’s “Robe du Soir.”
Another instantly-recognizable scaled-down piece is the Sac Orange, a tiny (one-size) version of the Hermès paper shopping bag that gets our hearts racing. The Sac Orange, stamped with the “le duc attele groom a l'attente” (hitched carriage, waiting groom) is available in classic orange and a fun “Rose Mexico” shade, launched as part of the Autumn/ Winter 2020 collection.
The Kelly Twilly Charm, launched in 2020 takes the mini bag trend to the next level. This teeny-tiny charm, complete with a silk Twilly-wrapped handle is available in one miniature size, but multiple colors and leathers, including Swift, Tadelakt, Lizard and Croc. The highly-coveted charm may set you back as much as other full-size luxury bags. This exquisitely-made piece features details including sangles, turnlock and feet (clou) as well as impeccable stitching.
An even harder-to-find mini Kelly bag charm is the Mini Quelle Idole Bag Charm, which could easily be named as Hermès’ cutest (and most expensive) bag charm design yet. The charm is a miniaturized version of the already-mini bag, featuring the turnlock and features, including arms, legs and eyes.
Other Mini Quelle Idole Bag Charms have been created in the past, including a 2D version made to resemble a pixilated, video game version of the bag, which was launched in December 2018 at the Ginza Hermès store in Tokyo as part of its Hermès Jingle Games event. Another was a 2D version made in collaboration with Tokashiyama department store in 2011.
In a nod to Hermès’ horse-riding heritage, the Paddock collection of bag charms features motifs associated with the sport, including jockey caps, riding boots, saddles, horseshoes, a horse head and an award ribbon. The charms come in Vache Hunter, Milo lambskin and Swift.
Petit h is a department of Hermès that was founded in 2010. It utilizes off-cuts, past season pieces and flawed fabrics that would otherwise end up in the trash to create one-of-a-kind of limited edition pieces. The materials provide the spark of inspiration the Petit h team needs to design, rather than the other way round, which is why Hermès calls the process “upside-down creation.” The most common Petit h items you’ll find on the second-hand market are bag charms, which come in a vast array of weird and wonderful designs, including animal shapes, hearts, hats and vehicles as well as seasonal motifs, like snowmen, gingerbread men, pumpkins and reindeer. The size of these cute, upcycled bag charms varies depending on the design.
When you think of Hermès bag charms, no doubt you think of a colorful leather piece. The original Hermès bag charm was the Breloque (available in palladium and gold), which has now been revamped as the Olga bag charm (available in palladium and permabrass). These metal charms feature equestrian and distinctly Hermès-themed hanging motifs, including a dog, horse, Chaine d’Ancre, stirrup, Medor pyramid, clou de selle and Cadena lock that are designed to dangle from your bag.
Shop our full selection of bag charms here.
