Hermes Kelly 28 Bag Handmade In Epsom Calfskin Leather Silver Hardware 93 Orange

Orange is the house’s signature shade – familiar from boxes and ribbons – and on a Kelly 28 in Epsom it is as saturated as the day it was dyed. Silver hardware is the twist: against cool metal the orange looks brighter and slightly modern, less heritage, more signal. It is the colour in this batch that people comment on first.

The 28 by 22 by 10 centimetre body takes the daily set easily – wallet, phone, keys, sunglasses, pouch – and the firm Epsom structure means the flap stands square and the base sits flat on a bench while you sort through it. The strap detaches, and the turnlock closes with the same positive weight as every bag in this family.

Living with it is easier than you would fear. The embossed grain wipes clean in seconds, rain beads up and rolls away, and the vivid dye shows neither scratches nor fading – I have left mine in sunlit windows without consequence. The colour does the work in every photograph; the leather makes sure the surface stays smart.

Honest note: orange is loud, and this bag does not blend. There are days the wardrobe wants grey silence, and this is not the bag for them. On the right days – striped shirt, navy coat, white trainers – nothing else comes close.

For a first bold bag, or the fiftieth, this is the colour that earns its keep twice a week.