Story & heritage

The Bolide holds a genuine place in design history: it is widely recognised as the first handbag ever made with a zipper. Émile-Maurice Hermès had returned from the United States after the First World War with the exclusive French rights to the zip fastener — known in France as the fermeture Hermès — and the Bolide brought that new technology to a women's bag.

Its name evokes a fast car, and its rounded, aerodynamic dome was reputedly suited to the sports cars of the era. More than a century on, it remains a quietly practical alternative to the house's structured icons — a zip-top carry-all that closes completely and softens with use.

Materials & craft

The Bolide is offered in two registers: rigide, with a firm structured frame, and mou, in relaxed leathers that slouch with wear. It is cut from box calf, Epsom, Clemence and Togo, with the curved zipper — the bag's defining gesture — running up and over the rounded top between two rolled handles.

The zip pull and hardware are engraved with the HERMÈS name; the body is saddle-stitched and edge-painted by hand in France. Many versions include a detachable canvas or leather shoulder strap.

How to choose & style

The 27 and 31 are the everyday sizes; the mini Bolide reads as a charm-sized evening piece. Gold and étoupe in soft Clemence make the most relaxed carry; box calf in black is the dressiest. Because it zips fully shut and has a stable, rounded base, the Bolide is the practical choice among the house's icons — a travel and city bag rather than a statement.