A century-old travel bag with a clever idea at its heart.
The Bolide began with a problem familiar to anyone who travels: how do you reach your things quickly while keeping them secure? In 1923, Hermès answered with a rounded leather bag and an innovation that still feels ordinary only because it worked so well: the zipper.
A century later, the Bolide remains a remarkably useful design. Its soft dome, two handles and easy opening have changed surprisingly little, even as Hermès has experimented with sizes, materials and more playful versions.
A few things worth knowing
Hermès dates the Bolide to 1923 and links it to the early years of automobile travel.
Sotheby's describes it as the first handbag to use a zipper closure.
Traditional sizes include 27, 31, 35 and 45, while the Bolide 1923 family includes Mini, 25 and 30.
Bolide models may be available through Hermès boutiques and regional websites, depending on stock.
Prices today
Updated October 18, 2026, from public resale listings read every day.
What is a Bolide actually listed for on the resale market? Choose a size and a condition: the figures and the chart follow.
Size
Condition
Median asking priceUS$5,200
Middle halfUS$4,400 to US$6,900
Listingsabout 130
Estimated sale priceUS$4,200 to US$4,700MyQuotaBag estimate: 10 to 20% below the median asking price
These are asking prices. They are what sellers ask on public listings, mostly in the United States, Europe and Asia, converted to US dollars. They include each seller's margin. Buyers often pay less: recent auction and resale reports put many bags between retail and about 30% below the asking prices seen here. The estimated sale price is a MyQuotaBag estimate, not a valuation of any bag.
Bolide 31
Classic leather. The chart follows the size and condition chosen; each column is a US$2,000 step, tap a column for its figures. Condition levels follow each seller's own grading, grouped by MyQuotaBag; All counts every listing, including those marked only « used ». Snapshot of 2026-10-18.
Arriving November 16, 2026
Asking prices over time. A second chart here will show how Bolide asking prices move week by week, for the size and condition chosen above.
Time on the market. How long a Bolide listing stays online before it is withdrawn. A withdrawn listing does not necessarily mean the bag sold.
In 1916, Émile-Maurice Hermès traveled to North America and encountered an unfamiliar fastening system. Hermès says the zipper was brought back from America toward the end of the 1910s. Accounts differ on exactly where he first saw it. Sotheby's tells a story involving Henry Ford's automobile factory, while other histories describe different scenes.
The precise location matters less than what happened next. Hermès saw how a zipper could make leather goods easier to open and close.
A bag for the automobile
In 1923, the house introduced a rounded bag intended for drivers and long-distance travelers. Early on, it was called le sac pour l'auto, literally “the bag for the car.” It was designed to fit into luggage compartments and provide quick access to what was inside.
Sotheby's says Hermès patented the zipper for leather goods in that period and describes the resulting bag as the first handbag with a zipper. Details of the patent timeline vary in secondary histories, but the Bolide's importance as an early zipped leather handbag is well established in the cited material.
The name Bolide came later. In French, it can refer to a meteor or to a very fast car. Both meanings fit a design born in the age of road travel.
More than one century of variations
The Bolide has stayed quietly relevant rather than constantly reinventing itself. Hermès has made it in supple and firm constructions, in tiny handbag sizes and larger travel formats.
There have also been more playful editions: the Bolide 1923 Smile, the wheeled-suitcase-inspired Bolide On Wheels and the Bolide en Désordre. Through these experiments, the rounded top and zipper have remained its central idea.
Where the sources disagree
The zipper story: Hermès says the zipper came back from North America at the end of the 1910s; secondary histories tell the trip and the patent in different ways.
The "first" claim: Sotheby's calls the Bolide the first handbag with a zipper. We report it as their description.
Why collectors love it
Made for movement
There is no flap to lift or buckle to undo. A zipper follows the curved top and opens the bag wide. The shape feels natural to carry, while the two handles and removable strap offer different options for a busy day.
History without the fuss
The Bolide isn't as immediately recognizable as some Hermès icons and that discretion is part of the appeal. For collectors interested in the house's history, it also marks an important moment: the meeting of classic leather craftsmanship and a practical new fastening system.
The design
The Bolide's defining feature is a rounded dome sitting on a flat base. Two rolled handles rise from the top and a zipper runs along the curve and down the sides. Many versions include a removable shoulder strap.
Older classic Bolides often have a small oval leather patch on the front, traditionally associated with monogramming. The more streamlined Bolide 1923 line removes that patch. It's one of the easiest ways to tell the two families apart.
Many classic Bolides have a padlock and keys held in a leather clochette. Smaller versions, including the Mini, can differ. Collectors also distinguish Mou, meaning soft, from Rigide, the firmer and more structured construction.
Sizes and versions
The traditional range has included 27, 31, 35 and 45. The smaller sizes work as handbags while the 45 is closer to the design's travel roots.
The modern Bolide 1923 is typically discussed in Mini, 25 and 30 formats. It keeps the iconic dome and zipper but simplifies the front by omitting the oval patch. The Mini is intended for essentials and normally does not include the classic padlock and keys.
Beyond those familiar versions, Hermès has created the Bolide Relax, Bolide à Dos backpack, Bolide Skate, Bolide Messenger and other limited designs. Collector guides also mention a Bolide Secret with an additional zipped compartment.
Leathers and hardware
Clemence creates a soft, relaxed Bolide. Epsom is lighter and helps a structured version retain its shape. Sikkim is fine and supple, often associated with Mou constructions. Swift and Evercolor appear frequently on modern Bolide 1923 models.
Vintage examples may use Box calf, Courchevel, Chèvre (goatskin) and other Hermès leathers. Rarer Bolides have appeared in exotic skins or mixed materials.
Gold and palladium are familiar hardware finishes, while ruthenium and matte treatments appear in selected versions. Most of the metal stays discreet, centered around the zipper and any lock.
How do you buy a Bolide?
Bolide models have appeared on regional the Hermès website sites and are also sold through boutiques. A particular size, color or leather may be available in one market and missing in another.
Limited editions and exotic versions can be considerably harder to find than a classic Bolide 1923. Hermès does not publish a purchasing formula or promise availability through prior purchases.
What does a Bolide cost at retail?
Retail prices vary too widely by format and material to treat one figure as a general price. As a historical reference, Sotheby's reported a US$15,900 retail price for the special Bolide On Wheels in 2022. That figure should not be confused with a current price for a classic Bolide. For current prices, consult Hermès in your market.
The resale market offers another perspective on the Bolide. Some collectors turn to it for a particular color or size; others to find pieces no longer offered in boutiques. Prices vary widely, which is why a single price rarely tells the whole story.
Classic leather, by size
Median asking prices, October 18, 2026. US dollars, asking prices from public listings, not confirmed sale prices.
Size
Pristine, asking
Pre-owned, asking
Listings
Bolide 25
too few
US$8,400
about 40
Bolide 27
too few
US$6,200
about 90
Bolide 31
too few
US$5,200
about 130
Bolide 35
too few
US$4,100
about 50
Versions and special editions
All sizes and conditions together. A version with fewer than 20 listings says less about the market than one with several thousand.
VersionMedian asking priceListings
Exotic skinsUS$15,800fewer than 20
A Bolide in crocodile, alligator, ostrich or lizard. These skins are made in far smaller numbers and cost much more at the boutique. Crossing a border with one can require CITES paperwork and some countries restrict them.
VersoUS$7,600fewer than 20
A two-color Bolide: one color outside and a contrasting color inside, on the lining and the inner side of the flap or straps. The surprise only shows when the bag is open.
Classic leatherUS$6,300about 750
The reference: a Bolide in one of the house's standard leathers, such as Togo, Epsom, Clemence or Swift, in a single color. Most listings fall here, which is why this median is the most reliable on the page.
ShoulderUS$6,100fewer than 20
The Birkin Shoulder has longer handles so it can be carried on the shoulder rather than in the hand. It is made in larger formats and in small numbers.
Tap a version to see what it is.
Think of these figures as a snapshot of the market rather than a valuation of any particular bag.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Bolide created?
Hermès dates it to 1923.
What made it important?
Its early use of a zipper helped make opening and closing a leather handbag simpler and faster.
Was it really the first handbag with a zipper?
Sotheby's describes it that way. Specific patent and origin details vary between historical accounts.
What does Bolide mean?
In French, the word can refer to a meteor or a very fast car.
Bolide or Bolide 1923?
The modern 1923 line generally removes the oval leather patch seen on many traditional Bolides.
What do Mou and Rigide mean?
Mou is softer and more relaxed. Rigide has firmer structure.
Does every Bolide have a lock?
No. Smaller versions, including the Mini, may not include one.
Can I buy one online?
Certain versions are listed on Hermès' regional websites when available.
Is this a Quota Bag in MyQuotaBag?
Hermès has no official bag category called “Quota Bag.” In MyQuotaBag, it means the bag you are hoping to be offered and have saved on your wishlist. This definition does not predict an offer.
References
Hermès, Bolide 1923 and Bolide Messenger product pages.
Sotheby's, “Complete History of the Hermès Bolide”.
Bagaholicboy, “Hermès: 10 Things To Know About The Iconic Bolide Bag” (August 2024).
---
About this guide
An independent reference for curious collectors.
MyQuotaBag brings together the stories, craftsmanship and market information behind some of the world's most recognizable handbags, to make them easier to explore and understand.
Resale figures come from publicly available asking prices. They represent listings, not confirmed sales or guaranteed future values. MyQuotaBag is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hermès.
How to cite: MyQuotaBag, « The Hermès Bolide », Hermès Bag Profiles, resale snapshot of 2026-10-18. https://myquotabag.com/bags/bolide/
