Canvas, leather and the pleasure of a bag that can change its look.
At first glance, the Herbag feels like a relaxed relative of the Kelly. It has a similar trapezoid shape and a flap that closes neatly across the front. But look closer and you find a different idea: a sturdy canvas body joined to a leather top.
The design is lighter, more casual and surprisingly adaptable. Its two main pieces can be separated, giving the Herbag a kind of practical playfulness that sets it apart from Hermès' more formal leather bags.
A few things worth knowing
The original Herbag is often dated to the 1980s, although published sources disagree.
It returned in 2009 as the Herbag Zip, with more pockets and a removable interior pouch.
Its body is typically canvas and its top and handle are made from Vache Hunter leather.
Herbag Zip models are offered in boutiques and sometimes on regional Hermès websites.
Prices today
Updated October 18, 2026, from public resale listings read every day.
What is a Herbag actually listed for on the resale market? Choose a size and a condition: the figures and the chart follow.
Size
Condition
Median asking priceUS$2,900
Middle halfUS$2,300 to US$3,700
Listingsabout 400
Estimated sale priceUS$2,300 to US$2,600MyQuotaBag 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.
Herbag 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 Herbag asking prices move week by week, for the size and condition chosen above.
Time on the market. How long a Herbag listing stays online before it is withdrawn. A withdrawn listing does not necessarily mean the bag sold.
Hermès may be known for leather, but sturdy textiles have long been part of its equestrian and travel history. The Herbag brought those traditions together in an everyday handbag.
Its early timeline isn't perfectly documented. Sotheby's and Bagaholicboy place its origins in the 1980s, while another published account gives 1998. Rather than force one date, it makes more sense to describe the Herbag as an older design that became especially familiar through later collections.
The return of the Herbag Zip
After a period out of production, the design came back in 2009 as the Herbag Zip. The updated version offered useful details, including exterior storage and a removable pouch inside.
The new name stuck. Today, when collectors talk about the Herbag, they are often referring to the Zip version.
A casual cousin to the Kelly
The resemblance is easy to see: a trapezoid body, a top flap and a closure inspired by Hermès' saddle-making details. But canvas changes the mood entirely. The Herbag feels ready for a train ride, a market visit or a weekend away rather than a formal occasion.
Where the sources disagree
The first Herbag: Sotheby's and Bagaholicboy place it in the 1980s; another published account gives 1998.
What is settled: the Herbag Zip arrived in 2009.
Why collectors love it
One bag, more than one look
The Herbag's cleverest feature is its separable leather top and canvas body. The construction allows compatible pieces to be combined in different ways. That doesn't mean Hermès routinely sells extra canvas bodies by themselves; collector sources generally say it does not. Swapping looks may require more than one compatible Herbag.
Materials that develop character
Canvas makes the body relatively light, while the Vache Hunter (cowhide) leather on top becomes softer and develops a patina with use. Wear and weather still call for reasonable care, so it's better to think of the Herbag as practical rather than indestructible.
The design
The Herbag has a trapezoid canvas body, a structured leather flap and a top handle. A leather fastening strap closes over hardware inspired by the Clou de Selle saddle stud. Many versions include a shoulder strap for hands-free wear.
The Herbag Zip adds practical compartments, including a zipped exterior pocket and an interior pouch. Exact pocket arrangements vary by model and generation, so secondhand buyers should check photos and measurements rather than assuming every Herbag is identical.
The removable construction is not merely a styling trick. It is part of the bag's distinctive engineering, even if changing the canvas shell is less straightforward than it sounds in collector discussions.
A hidden Retourne
Look a little closer and there is one more surprise.
The canvas body is shaped in a soft, rounded way that recalls Retourne construction. Turn it inside out and the canvas gives sharper, pointed corners that recall vintage Sellier bags.
It is the kind of quiet detail that rewards your attention.
Sizes and versions
The best-known everyday formats are the Herbag Zip 31 and Herbag Zip 39. The 31 measures about 31 × 25 × 11 cm in a Hermès listing and offers a compact daily carry. The 39 provides extra space for work or travel.
The Herbag Zip 20 is a smaller, more recent design often called the Mini. Its proportion and longer strap distinguish it from the familiar top-handle versions.
Larger travel designs include the Herbag Zip Cabine 50, Zip 52 and related Cabine or Weekend bags. Vintage pieces can carry earlier PM, MM and GM names, while older collections also include a backpack and messenger formats.
Hermès has offered both solid-colored and patterned canvas bodies, including limited designs such as Pegase Pop and H Vibration.
Canvas, leather and hardware
The classic canvas body is commonly made in Officier, a tightly woven cotton fabric. Other versions have used Militaire, H Berline and Viking Quadrille. The available weave and pattern depend on the season.
The structured top is typically Vache Hunter, a smooth, firm leather that develops a patina over time. It can darken and show signs of wear, which many owners consider part of its character.
Hardware is usually discreet, with palladium a familiar finish. The central fastening and fittings are functional rather than decorative focal points.
The interchangeable body
The leather top and the canvas body are joined by hardware that can be undone, which allows the two parts to be separated.
That is what makes the Herbag a "two-in-one" bag. It also means your Herbag can be cleaned, cared for or restyled part by part.
How do you buy a Herbag?
The Herbag is generally considered more approachable than classic Birkin and Kelly styles. It is offered in boutiques and Herbag Zip models have appeared on Hermès websites in selected countries.
That doesn't make every version easy to find. Limited colors, specific canvases and smaller sizes may be scarce. There is no published spending requirement or guaranteed allocation formula.
What does a Herbag cost at retail?
Sotheby's published approximate 2026 US reference prices of US$3,525 for the Herbag Zip 31 and US$4,550 for the Zip 39. A separate 2025 Singapore reference placed the Herbag Zip 20 from SGD 4,500. These prices come from different markets and dates, so they should not be compared as though they were current quotations from one boutique.
The resale market offers another perspective on the Herbag. 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
Herbag 20
US$5,800
US$4,200
about 170
Herbag 31
US$4,800
US$2,800
about 400
Herbag 39
too few
US$2,200
about 70
Herbag 50
too few
US$3,100
about 20
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
ShoulderUS$4,600about 40
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.
Classic leatherUS$3,100about 3,560
The reference: a Herbag 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.
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 Herbag created?
Sources differ. Sotheby's and Bagaholicboy place its origins in the 1980s, while another account gives 1998. The Herbag Zip arrived in 2009.
What is the Herbag Zip?
The reintroduced design with additional pockets and a removable pouch.
Is it leather or canvas?
Both. The body is generally canvas, with a Vache Hunter leather top and handle.
Can you change the canvas body?
The pieces can be separated, but compatible spare bodies are not generally offered individually according to collector sources.
Is it similar to the Kelly?
The outline and flap recall a Kelly, but the canvas construction creates a more relaxed feel.
Which sizes are most familiar?
Zip 31 and 39, with a smaller 20 and larger travel formats.
Can I purchase one online?
Sometimes, depending on the regional Hermès website and stock.
How should I care for it?
Canvas and natural leather age differently. Ask Hermès about appropriate cleaning and repair services, especially before treating the leather.
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, Herbag Zip and Cabine product pages.
Sotheby's, “The Complete Guide to the Hermès Herbag”.
Bagaholicboy, “Hermès: 10 Things To Know About The Herbag” (February 2025).
PurseBlog, “Hermès Puts New Emphasis on the Herbag Zip, Adds New Versions for Sale Online” (2019).
Coveteur, “Have You Explored the Hermès Canvas Offering Lately?” (May 2024).
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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 Herbag », Hermès Bag Profiles, resale snapshot of 2026-10-18. https://myquotabag.com/bags/herbag/
