Hermès 'Sac 'Mallette' handbag
Handbag
1960s (made)
1960s (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Thierry Hermès (1801–1878) first established Hermès in 1837 as a harness workshop in Paris. In the 1880s the business moved to premises in the fashionable rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré where the company flagship store and Hermès Museum remain today. Over the following decades Hermès developed into a notable saddle maker. With the advent of motor cars and the subsequent demise of horse-drawn carriages, Hermès applied its leatherworking expertise to other leather products such as handbags, wallets and travelling cases. Since the 1930s, Hermès has produced a series of classic bag designs, such as the' Kelly' and 'Birkin'. Hermès handbags are made in France in Les Ateliers Hermès workshops, where each bag is crafted by a single artisan from start to finish. They are sewn with saddle-stitch, using two needles and a single length of thread.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Title | Hermès 'Sac 'Mallette' handbag |
| Materials and techniques | Leather |
| Brief description | Black box calf leather 'Sac Mallette' handbag with metal hardware, Hermès, France, 1960s. |
| Physical description | A 1960s Hermès travel bag - the 'Sac Mallette' - made of black box calf leather, a smooth and glossy leather. The bag features a hinged compartment at the base, acting as a jewellery box. The top compartment opens with two sliding side latches and a push button, while the bottom compartment opens through two lid latch closures, revealing a deep red velvet interior. The bag features a structured top handle, and the hardware is gold toned. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Thierry Hermès established his horse-harness and bridle workshop in Paris in 1837. With the demise of horse-drawn vehicles in the early 20th century, Hermès applied leatherworking expertise to other products, including handbags. The design of this capacious 'Sac Mallette' handbag features two separate lockable compartments: an upper one for bigger items and a lower one to protect valuables such as jewellery while travelling.
V&A, Room 40, Bags: Inside Out (12/2020) |
| Summary | Thierry Hermès (1801–1878) first established Hermès in 1837 as a harness workshop in Paris. In the 1880s the business moved to premises in the fashionable rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré where the company flagship store and Hermès Museum remain today. Over the following decades Hermès developed into a notable saddle maker. With the advent of motor cars and the subsequent demise of horse-drawn carriages, Hermès applied its leatherworking expertise to other leather products such as handbags, wallets and travelling cases. Since the 1930s, Hermès has produced a series of classic bag designs, such as the' Kelly' and 'Birkin'. Hermès handbags are made in France in Les Ateliers Hermès workshops, where each bag is crafted by a single artisan from start to finish. They are sewn with saddle-stitch, using two needles and a single length of thread. |
| Bibliographic reference | Bags V&A Exhibition (Project)
Bags: Inside Out (2020) Lucia Savi, V&A Publishing, pg 62
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.167-2019 |
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| Record created | December 14, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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