Hermes Rodeo Pegase PM Charm Milo Lambskin and Swift Calfskin Etoupe Jaune Milton Rouge Sellier H083010CACG

Etoupe is the colour I reach for when a charm has to behave like a wardrobe staple, and this Pegase wears it with a twist: a soft grey-taupe body, a yellow Jaune Milton mane that catches the light, and deep red-brown Rouge Sellier in the mix.

The wing is the piece’s character. It is stitched in Swift, a calfskin with enough body to keep its shape, while the horse itself is Milo lambskin, soft as glove leather. The measurements are modest — a centimetre thin and just under ten across — so it hangs level off a handle without pulling the bag off balance. The mane sits just clear of the wing, so nothing tangles.

I keep it at the handle root of the canvas-and-leather tote that goes to work with me. Against beige the yellow reads as a wink rather than a shout, and the red-brown touches pick up the stitching on my riding coat. It has taken two years of commuting without a loose stitch — more than I can say for the tote it hangs from.

Nothing is perfect: on an all-neutral outfit this charm can look almost plain from across a room, and the colour play only happens up close. Milo also asks for a little care — do not press it against zips or let keys share its pocket. Made in France by hand, which is why every mane sits a fraction differently. It has been rained on twice and dried without a mark.