Hermès created the bag that was renamed the Kelly bag in 1956.
The design originated as the Sac à dépêches, a structured leather bag introduced by Hermès in the 1930s. It was renamed after Grace Kelly, the American actress who became Princess of Monaco, was photographed using the bag to shield her pregnancy from photographers.
The name “Kelly” became official in 1956, connecting the accessory with one of the era’s most famous style figures. The bag is recognized for its trapezoidal shape, top handle, flap, turn-lock closure, and structured construction.
The Kelly is often compared with Hermès’s Birkin bag, but the two are different designs. The Kelly is generally associated with a single top handle and a more formal silhouette, while the Birkin was introduced later and has a more open tote-like construction.