Hermes Constance 19 CM Bag Handmade In Epsom Calfskin Leather Gold Hardware 0S Vert Fizz

Pale greens are risky: too yellow and they look ill, too grey and they vanish. Vert Fizz threads both traps. It is a translucent mint, the colour of the first centimetre of a glass of sparkling water, and gold hardware gives it just enough warmth to keep it from going clinical against skin or wool.

The 19 cm width sitting at just 4 cm deep gives a neat, flat parcel that works on the shoulder or across the body; on me the strap lands at the hip either way. It carries a phone, a card holder, keys and a lipstick, with a folded compact tote tucked behind the card holder for unplanned shopping.

Epsom is a sensible choice for such a pale colour because its pressed grain holds uniform dye without streaks, and the rigid body keeps its shape while I am being less than gentle with it. Rain beads on the surface, the corners stay crisp, and the gold clasp looks like a small coin set into the flap.

Honest note: in dim grey light, Vert Fizz fades towards off-white and loses its character, so it earns its keep in daylight and in rooms with warm bulbs. Worn with denim, navy or stone it is extraordinarily fresh, and it is the quietest way I know to wear colour. The pale shade has held exactly, with no yellowing at the seams, and the shape has stayed crisp despite being squashed into lockers and under seats. It is the softest statement I own.