Hermes Kelly 25 Bag Handmade In Epsom Calfskin Leather Silver Hardware 7W Blue Izmir

Blue Izmir is the colour of a swimming pool at noon, and no photograph I have taken does it justice. It is a saturated, almost electric turquoise-blue, brighter than navy, cleaner than turquoise, and on Epsom calfskin the embossed grain gives the pigment something to grip, so the colour stays even from the flap to the gusset.

Silver hardware is the correct pairing, and I will argue with anyone who says otherwise. Gold would turn this blue warm and slightly retro; silver keeps it crisp and modern, like a line of cool water against the leather. The bag is a Kelly 25, measuring 25 by 17 by 7 cm, so the proportions are compact and confident rather than shy.

What I actually carry: phone, card holder, keys, lip balm, sunglasses with the case if I am driving. The rigid frame means the bag behaves on a restaurant chair, the top handle stands up, nothing sloshes. It has become my holiday bag, the one that photographs well against white linen and terracotta floors.

Honest note: this is a colour that takes over an outfit. If your wardrobe is already busy, Blue Izmir will fight it. Worn with white, cream, stone or denim it is magnificent, and it has never once been mistaken for somebody else’s bag on a coat rack. One tip: keep a microfibre cloth in your bag, because salt air and sunscreen both dull a bright blue, and a quick wipedown at the end of a beach day keeps the colour exactly as it was.