Hermes Kelly Pochette Handmade In Lizard Leather from South Africa Gold Hardware 0M Chai

Chai is a pale, warm beige with a tea tint to it, and on lizard it becomes something like dune texture: rows of tiny scales, each one catching light at a slightly different angle. The gold hardware warms the whole thing further, and the effect is subtle rather than showy.

This is the same hand-carry frame as every pochette in the line, 22 cm across, 12 cm high and 7 cm deep, so the contents are the usual set of a phone, cards, keys and a lipstick, closed under the flap. It hangs from the wrist over the single handle when I need both hands for a glass or a coat.

Lizard is firm and holds a small bag’s shape perfectly, but its scales are the fine kind: they do not like abrasion, and a hard knock against a table edge can lift one. Lizard also dries out faster than most skins, so I keep it conditioned lightly and never store it near a window. It rewards that care by staying beautiful.

Pale lizard is a daytime choice for me, and Chai in particular seems to glow in sunlight.

Beige lizard is unusually forgiving with color: it lets navy, black, white and rust all lead, and it keeps a low profile beside a straw bag in summer. If you want an exotic that does not announce itself in a restaurant full of people, Chai is the one I would try first. The gold hardware is the only thing that speaks up.