Hermes Birkin 25 Bag Handmade In Swift Calfskin Leather Silver Hardware B3 Blue Zanzibar

Blue Zanzibar is a proper tropical blue, saturated and slightly turquoise in daylight. On smooth Swift it looks almost wet, because the leather’s fine grain reflects light in a soft continuous sheen rather than in pebbles. In shade it looks closer to a deep turquoise, and in full sun the colour nearly glows, which is the kind of change that keeps a bag interesting.

The frame is twenty-five by twenty by thirteen centimetres with silver-tone hardware, and the cool metal suits the vivid blue better than gold would. Swift from France is supple, so the bag drapes a little when it is not full and the flap folds without stiffness.

My loadout here is deliberately light: phone, a cardholder, keys, a lipstick and a compact. Swift’s softness means the interior feels a touch more flexible than a rigid Epsom body, and I like that for an evening bag.

Now the reservations. Bright saturated Swift marks visibly when it scratches, and this blue will show a white line if the leather is scored. It is also the sort of colour that flares against certain reds and oranges, so it is not a universally easy bag to dress. Swift also ages by polishing rather than scuffing, so the surface gets a quiet sheen over time instead of dulling.

Worn against white, grey, navy and denim, though, it is excellent. The silver plates have kept their finish and the flap edge is still sharp.