Knocked down sold: one of the masterpieces of leather goods designer Hermès is going to be put up for sale.
From November 3, the auction house Christie's is indeed offering one of the most popular bags in the world: the Kelly 25 Himalaya.
Released from the workshop in 2022, this luxury monument of only 25 centimeters is estimated between 120,000 and 160,000 euros.
A rare piece that is all the rage in the auction room, as in 2020 when it became the "most expensive bag in the world" after auction in Hong Kong.
Manufactured in a few copies each year, it is worth an investment as its materials are precious.
The leather comes from the Crocodylus niloticus, a reptile living on the banks of the Nile, and its jewelry elements are made of palladium, a metal from the platinum family.
Without forgetting the way: external seams,
unlike other models of this type.
A tour de force of the Hermès craftsmen which makes it an exceptional piece.
The most profitable luxury bags in 2022
In images, in pictures
See the slideshow09 photos
See the slideshow09 photos
Hermès, star of the auction rooms
The Chanel Timeless, Louis Vuitton trunks, the Kelly and the Birkin at Hermès... So many bags that have seen their prices soar.
In auction rooms, the average price of the Kelly (so named when it was seen on the arm of Grace Kelly in 1956, on the tarmac of an airport) experienced a dizzying increase of 250% between 2004 and 2014. Added to this was the health crisis in 2020: during the period of confinement, the budget allocated to outings and leisure migrated to investments, including luxury items.
The increase in demand, in the face of an unchanged or even reduced supply, contributed to the explosion in prices.
No wonder then, when, on November 27, 2020 during the auction in Hong Kong, the famous Himalayan model found a buyer for 437,330 dollars (365,545 euros).
However,
In video, 100 years of handbags in 2 minutes:
bag carry permit
Crocodylus niloticus is indeed an endangered species in southern Benin, and the export of its leather is highly regulated.
Some countries are even banned from exporting this material, in the same way as ivory, coral or tortoiseshell.
Christie's therefore submits to the Washington Convention (CITES) which legislates on rare species of fauna or flora, as regards the shipping conditions: for certain destinations, the bag must have a travel permit.
To never be forgotten, or misplaced.