Photographs by Chris Anderson
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you dream of a handbag, chances are you dream of Hermès. In the last
decade, the Kelly and its sister, the Birkin, have become symbols of
taste and class. But when the Kelly was introduced in 1930, no one
showed much interest. Not until 1956, when Grace Kelly used the purse
to shield her pregnant belly from a photographer, was the bag elevated
to celebrity status. To understand why a Kelly costs $5,500 (or more)
and requires a year's wait (or more), we requested an Hermès bag in red
box leather, 35 centimeters long. Instead, we received the bag in a
smaller size (32 centimeters), and the more rigid leather was replaced
by a soft, pebbly skin they call ''fjord.'' So the dream is deferred,
but the process still dazzles. — Lynn Hirschberg
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