Grace Kelly and the Hermès Kelly Bag: The True Story Behind the Icon
By the Privé Porter Editorial Team · Hermès specialists since 2008
Quick answer: The Grace Kelly bag is the Hermès Kelly. It began in the 1930s as a smaller women's version of a Hermès saddle bag, known as the sac à dépêches. Grace Kelly carried it on and off screen, a 1956 photo of her shielding her pregnancy with it made it famous, and Hermès officially named it the Kelly in 1977.
Grace Kelly was born on 12 November 1929 in Philadelphia, and few objects are as tied to one woman's image as the bag that carries her name. The story of the Grace Kelly bag is often told in a single sentence about a magazine photograph. The full story is longer, older and more interesting, and it explains why the Kelly is built the way it is.
We have touched on this history before in The Evolution of the Kelly Bag: From Grace to Grail. Here we go deeper into the dates, the people and the myths.
Before Grace: the saddle bag that became a handbag
Hermès was founded in Paris in 1837 by Thierry Hermès as a harness and saddle workshop. In 1892 the house introduced the Haut à Courroies, a tall leather bag designed to carry a rider's saddle and boots. That equestrian DNA, a strong frame, a flap and straps that close around a turn-lock, is still visible in every Kelly.
In the 1930s Robert Dumas, son-in-law of Émile-Maurice Hermès, scaled the idea down into a handbag for women. French press histories date its launch to 1935. It became known as the sac à dépêches, a dispatch bag: trapezoidal, with a single handle and a strapped flap closure, the ancestor of the sangles, turn-lock and clochette collectors know today. It was a refined, practical bag, and for two decades it was one of several Hermès designs rather than a legend.
Hollywood: To Catch a Thief
Grace Kelly met the bag while filming Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief on the French Riviera in 1954 (the film was released in 1955). Costume designer Edith Head sourced Hermès accessories for the production, and Kelly took to the sac à dépêches personally. It became part of her off-screen wardrobe too.
The 1956 photograph that made the Grace Kelly bag famous
In April 1956 Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III and became Princess Grace of Monaco. Later that year she was photographed holding her Hermès bag in front of her body, reportedly to shield her pregnancy from photographers. Her first child, Princess Caroline, was born in January 1957.
The photograph was published in Life magazine, spread around the world and led to record sales of the bag. Customers began walking into Hermès and asking for "the Kelly" or "Grace Kelly's bag," long before Hermès used the name itself.
When was the Kelly bag officially renamed?
Monaco press accounts date the official adoption of the name "Kelly" to 1977. Some histories place the renaming in the late 1950s, which likely reflects how quickly the nickname took hold among clients and the press. Either way, Hermès formalized a name the public had chosen more than twenty years earlier.
Grace Kelly died on 14 September 1982. The bag has outlived its moment of fame by seventy years and counting.
Grace Kelly bag timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1837 | Thierry Hermès founds Hermès in Paris as a harness workshop |
| 1892 | Hermès introduces the Haut à Courroies saddle bag |
| 1929 | Grace Kelly born in Philadelphia on 12 November |
| 1930s (1935) | Robert Dumas creates a smaller women's handbag, the sac à dépêches |
| 1954-1955 | To Catch a Thief filmed and released; Kelly adopts the bag |
| 1956 | Marriage to Prince Rainier III; the pregnancy photograph appears in Life |
| 1977 | Hermès officially names the bag the Kelly |
| 1980s | Mini Kellys in 20cm and 15cm sizes appear |
| 2010 | A Kelly from the Monaco palace archives is lent to the V&A in London, as reported by The Guardian |
| 2016 | Hermès relaunches the Mini Kelly as the Mini Kelly II |
Which Kelly did Grace Kelly carry?
Grace Kelly popularized the Kelly 32, which was long the standard size. The image of her holding the bag close to the body by its handle became the signature pose. Today's collectors who want to channel that spirit tend to choose a structured Sellier Kelly in a deep color, such as the Mini Kelly II in Rouge H Box calf with gold hardware, or a natural leather like this Kelly 25 Sellier in Naturel Sable Butler leather.
Myths about the Grace Kelly bag
- "Hermès designed the bag for Grace Kelly." It did not. The design predates her fame by about two decades.
- "The bag was renamed immediately after the photo." The nickname was immediate; the official name came later, in 1977.
- "The bag's fame began in Monaco." Kelly had already adopted it during the 1954 filming of To Catch a Thief; the 1956 image simply made it world famous.
Monaco and Hermès today
The relationship continues. Monaco Tribune reports that a Kelly offered for the Monaco Red Cross in 2024 closed at €75,000, presented by Prince Albert II at the 75th Red Cross Gala. The bag remains a quiet thread between the house and the principality.
Why the story matters to collectors
Understanding the Kelly's history helps you read the bag. The sangles, turn-lock and clochette are not decoration; they are saddlery hardware, and the single handle reflects a bag designed to be carried with poise. For the full range of shapes the Kelly takes today, see our overview of Kelly history and sizes.
Why buy your Kelly from Privé Porter
Privé Porter is the Miami-based Hermès specialist founded in 2008 by Jeff and Michelle Berk. We source Kellys from private collectors in more than 50 countries, our owners personally vet every bag, and we stand behind each one for as long as you own it. Whether you want a vintage Box Kelly in the spirit of Princess Grace or a store-fresh Mini Kelly II, we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Hermès Kelly called the Kelly?
The bag is named after Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, who carried it in the 1950s. A 1956 photograph of her shielding her pregnancy with the bag made it famous, and Hermès officially adopted the name Kelly in 1977.
What was the Kelly bag called before?
Before it became the Kelly, the bag was known as the sac à dépêches, a dispatch-style handbag created in the 1930s. It was adapted from Hermès' Haut à Courroies saddle bag of 1892.
Who designed the Hermès Kelly bag?
The bag was designed in the 1930s by Robert Dumas, son-in-law of Émile-Maurice Hermès. It was not designed for Grace Kelly; she adopted it about two decades later.
When did Grace Kelly carry the Kelly bag?
Grace Kelly encountered the bag while filming To Catch a Thief in 1954 and carried it afterward. The famous photograph of her holding it to shield her pregnancy dates from 1956.
What size Kelly did Grace Kelly carry?
Grace Kelly popularized the Kelly 32, which was long the standard size. Today the Kelly 25 and 28 are more popular.
Was the Grace Kelly photo on the cover of Life magazine?
The photograph was published in Life magazine and drove record sales of the bag. Some accounts describe it as a cover image, but the key point is that its publication made the bag world famous.
Own a piece of the story: browse our Kelly collection, arrange a private viewing in Miami, or message us on WhatsApp at +1 (305) 432-1285.