Hermès Birkin 25 Bag Handmade In Togo Calfskin Leather Rose Gold Hardware 57 Bordeaux

Bordeaux is the sort of colour I used to think was for other people, then I carried it for a week and stopped reaching for black. Rose gold hardware is what makes it work here: against a deep wine red, yellow gold can look heavy and silver can look cold, while this warmer tone lifts it. Wine reds also photograph unpredictably, so it is worth holding beside your coat before deciding; in person it is deeper than most screens suggest.

The frame measures twenty-five by twenty by thirteen centimetres, which is small enough to look deliberate at dinner and structured enough to hold shape on a seat beside me. Inside I fit a phone, a zip card case, a lipstick and keys with room left over for a folded scarf.

Togo’s pebble grain is what I look for in a colour this saturated. It absorbs light in a way that makes Bordeaux look deeper, and the surface takes a knock without showing it. The rolled handles are a comfortable grip even when the bag is loaded. The rose gold plates have a soft blush rather than a bright shine, which stops the bag from looking glossy under restaurant lighting.

The honest note is maintenance: dark red leathers can transfer slightly onto light fabrics in the first season, particularly along the bottom edge. I keep this one off white linen. Togo also has a soft hand, so it will fold a little when it is not full.

Leather is French, hardware is rose gold-tone, and the flap holds a crisp line when closed. A colour I would now buy again.