Hermes Evelyne 23 CM Bag Handmade In Taurillon Clemence Leather Gold Hardware 10 Craie

Weddings, garden lunches and long bright days are where the mini Evelyne earns its keep, and Craie is the version of it that belongs to all three. The chalk white is soft rather than clinical, and at twenty-three centimetres it adds a lightness to a summer outfit that bigger bags simply cannot.

Because the bag is small, the leather is nearly all you see. Taurillon Clemence at this scale shows off its pebbled grain and its subtle colour variation, and the perforated H spans most of the front panel like a woven medallion. The body has a gentle give, so it sits comfortably against the hip instead of knocking about as you walk.

Inside goes what a formal day requires: phone, a cardholder, keys, a lipstick and a compact, with maybe a folded tissue square in summer. Nothing else, which is part of the point. The strap adjusts from shoulder to crossbody, so it works over a silky dress and under a light cardigan without snagging either. The rear slip pocket carries a hotel card or a folded note, which is all the organising a bag this size needs.

The one demand white makes is care, and soft leather makes it once more: keep it away from red wine, ballpoint ink and fresh denim, wipe after dusty outings, and it will stay as bright as the day it arrived. In return it will be the prettiest small thing you carry all summer.