Hermes Jige Elan 29 Clutch Handmade In Epsom Calfskin Leather S3 Rouge Cpeur

Rouge Coeur is a red with a blue undertone that keeps it from tipping into orange, and on a clutch it does the work of a piece of jewellery. In a room of black dresses it is the only thing anyone comments on, which I have decided to enjoy rather than apologise for.

The Jige Elan is 29 cm wide and flat as an envelope, with an H-shaped flap that tucks in on itself: no clasps, no zips, nothing to catch on silk. I carry a phone, a cardholder, keys and a lipstick, and the leather H closes over it with a satisfying amount of resistance.

Epsom keeps the shape rigid, and its pressed grain means the red does not wear away at the corners the way smooth leathers do. The trade-off is that stiff leather never stretches, and pale marks from hand cream will show on a strong color. Keep lotion off your palms and this one stays vivid for a very long time.

It is also, in my experience, the clutch that gets borrowed most often, so keep an eye on it.

Where it earns its keep for me is autumn and winter, when everything around it is dark and the red does the work a necklace would. I also carry it in daylight with a navy coat, which brings out the cool undertone in the leather and lifts an outfit that would otherwise be plain. It is the one bag my partner notices me leaving with.