Hermes Mini Herbag Zip 20 Bag Handmade In Militaire Canvas and Hunter Cowhide Silver Hardware Naturel Sable

The first thing I do with any Herbag is work the closure, and on this Mini Herbag Zip 20 in naturel sable the clou de selle does not disappoint: firm on the stud, then a clean release as the flap lifts. It’s the kind of small mechanism that decides whether a bag is pleasant or annoying, and this one is pleasant, so the rest of the bag follows suit.

The numbers: 8.1 inches long, 6.5 tall, 2.8 deep, with a strap length of 40.9 inches including the snap hooks. In person that means it sits at the hip on the longer setting and higher in crossbody wear if you shorten it; the collapsible handle lies flat when the strap is in use, and the exterior zipped back pocket keeps a card or ticket reachable without opening the main compartment.

Natural sable is exactly what it sounds like: the colour of sand at dusk, slightly greyed, endlessly forgiving against beige, navy, olive and rust. What it carries: a phone, keys, a slim cardholder, a lip balm and, on good days, a small paperback. Sand tones hide everyday life well, coffee drips, dust and the grey film of a long week included.

Honest note: the strap, at just over a metre, is generous on most frames but can feel long on petite shoulders unless shortened at the buckle. The canvas itself is the most forgiving pale weave I own in this colour family, going a whole season between proper cleanings. I’d call this the easiest pale bag I’ve owned, and the clou de selle has never once jammed.