Hermes Kelly Pochette Handmade In Epsom Calfskin Leather Silver Hardware S4 Deep Blue

S4 Deep Blue is a saturated midnight navy, and on a small structured shape it does something black cannot: it reads smoky rather than stern, especially with silver hardware catching the flap edge.

My use case is evenings and travel. The pochette spans 22 cm, stands 12 cm and has a 7 cm body, which takes a phone, a cardholder, a hotel key, keys and a lipstick, and it opens and closes with the turn-lock in one motion. On a flight the essentials live in it and the tote stays under the seat.

Epsom’s pressed calf makes the color durable and the shape architectural, and the leather shrugs off scratches and takes a wipe with a dry cloth. It is a formal surface, though, because a rigid bag in a deep color is not what you take to a picnic, and it will not soften into a slouch no matter how long you carry it.

Silver on deep blue is the pairing that makes it look borrowed from evening wear rather than day, which is exactly how I use it.

Deep blues age better than black in one respect: the color keeps a little life at the folds instead of going flat, so a year of use adds depth rather than greyness. Mine has a faint sheen on the flap where I lift the turn-lock, and I like it. For a first evening bag in a dark tone, this is the warmer choice.