Hermes Bearn Mini Wallet Card Holder Handmade In Epsom Calfskin Leather Gold Hardware P9 Anemone

Purple is the colour this house does better than almost anyone, and Anemone is the argument. On the mini Bearn it sits somewhere between iris and aubergine — rich in daylight, nearly black in a restaurant, which is exactly what I want from a colour this unusual.

The wallet itself is small and decisive: roughly the footprint of a notebook card, ten by eight centimetres, folding down to something you forget in a jacket. I keep two cards, notes folded once, and a slim transit pass. In a small crossbody there is still room for a phone and keys beside it, which is the real advantage of the compact cut. The flap closes over the strap and its gold plate with an easy press. One-handed opening came naturally within a week, which is rare in a wallet this compact.

Epsom makes the finish look almost lacquered, because the embossed, pressed surface picks up light in tiny even facets and the deep purple goes from matte to glossy depending on the angle. It also means the wallet resists the flaking and fading that soft dyed leathers suffer, and mine has stayed saturated and clean through a damp spring, with just a quiet sheen starting at the fold.

One quirk worth naming: deep purples are chameleons, and under some indoor lighting this one reads close to black, so anyone expecting a bright pop at dinner may be surprised. As an everyday piece with a secret, however, it has quietly become a favourite.