Hermes Kelly Elan Handmade In Chèvre Leather Rose Gold Hardware 0G Rouge Sellier

Rose gold hardware is the reason I circled back to this one. Against Rouge Sellier – a deep, brown-leaning burgundy – the pinkish metal stops looking sweet and starts looking like an old jewellery-box clasp, which is a mood I have not found in many bags.

Twenty-seven centimetres long and only five deep, the Elan is the slimmest way to carry the Kelly silhouette. In Chèvre, the body keeps a gentle stiffness; it stands when set down and does not slump into a puddle the way softer leathers can. I use it flat in the hand, strap tucked in, for dinners, and on the shoulder when I am moving between appointments.

Contents: a phone, a slim wallet, keys, a lipstick, and my compact earbuds case. That is its comfortable working load. Add a paperback and you will feel it, though the turn-lock still closes without strain. The proportions also mean it disappears inside a bigger travel bag on the way somewhere warmer, ready for the evening.

The trade-off is the finish. Rose-gold hardware picks up fine hairline marks with use; mine show as a faint patina right where the flap turns, visible only in certain light. Given that this bag will spend most of its life under your arm or in your hand, I consider that part of the charm rather than a fault.

Chèvre itself is easy: wipe it, store it stuffed and upright, and it will hold this burgundy for years without going dry.