Unless you’re already an enormous Hermès fan, the terms “retourne” and “sellier” probably don’t register with you. In handbags, they refer to how a bag is stitched together—retourne indicates a bag whose joining seams are turned inward, while sellier bags have them turned outward, so you can see the stitches on the exterior of the bag. For Hermès, this most often comes into play with the Kelly Bag, which is made in both retourne and sellier versions, with the retourne option being less structured and therefore more casual, and the sellier versions being crisp and structured. With Birkins, all of the regular production bags are retourne, which gives the bag its signature slouch, even in more structured leathers that take years to break in.
It took me a moment to realize what was different about one of the Birkins on the Hermès Resort 2019 runway, but eventually, the side view of the bag helped things click into place—it looks more crisp and structured around the edges, and it’s because the joining seams are turned out, making for a somewhat rare sellier Birkin. Birkins with this structure have been produced in the past, but they’re uncommon, so the ones with this collection are sure to turn into collector’s items.
The runway also featured the return of another rarity—two versions of the Kelly Picnic, which features a leather flap and a wicker body, perfect for the spring vacations that resort collections were originally meant to wardrobe. And in general, this collection keeps those travels firmly in mind, with lightweight toile Birkins and Herbags, as well as backpacks and gathered sling bags that bring a casual, easy feeling to the sometimes stuffy world of Hermès. Check out all the bags from the runway below.
[Photos via Vogue Runway]
