Hermès Ghillies Collection
If you like the sound of an Hermès bag with a little Celtic flair, the Hermès Ghillies collection has your name written all over it. This decorative flourish was inspired by broguing, the perforated trimming on men’s shoes that was popularized in Ireland and Scotland as a design trick to help shoes to dry faster after being worn in the rain.
The Hermès Ghillies collection, featuring limited-edition Birkin, Kelly and Kelly Wallet, was introduced in Fall Winter 2012 collection, as an extension of the haute bijouterie jewellery collection produced in 2011 by Pierre Hardy, Artistic Director of Jewellery at Hermès.
The Ghillies is only produced in limited quantities and specific colors. However, the Ghillies isn’t a bag itself, but rather a design element added to existing bags. The broguing techniques is used for the trims in the bags, incorporating tiny punctures and serrations.
The bags are sized the same as original Birkin and Kelly bags, usually in sizes like Birkin 30, Birkin 35, Kelly 28 and Kelly 32, less commonly in the mini sizes. Larger sizes, like the 35cm, have more surface area, highlighting the beautiful details of the trim. Despite its menswear origins, these intricate serrations are often considered to give the unisex bag a formal and feminine appeal. The bags usually feature two types of leather or a combination of leather and canvas, suede or denim.
The most covetable and rare examples of the Ghillies are the Grand Marriage Birkin and Kelly, which features Alligator, Ostrich and Lizard skin together in one bag.
Shop the Ghillies collection here.
