Mini Hermès Kelly Handbag Could Fetch $200,000 at Auction

A collection of “rare and exceptional” handbags—from the likes of Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton—is on offer from Christie’s, in an auction ending Dec. 12.

The sale also “includes a selection of costume jewellery from Chanel—the collection spans a range of generations with lots coming from the modern era of Karl Lagerfeld, dating back to iconic original designs created by Coco Chanel herself,” Christie’s said in a statement. “This fantastic section is being sold without reserve.”

The star of the show is a mini Hermès Kelly bag made from sterling silver and dating to the 1990s, according to the auction house. The bag features “a charming miniature version of the signature Cadena lock,” in addition to its “iconic silhouette,” the catalog said. Available at auction for the first time in seven years, the bag is estimated to fetch between US$100,000-US$200,000.

A mini Hermès Kelly bag made from sterling silver and dating to the 1990s could fetch as much as US200,000.
Christie’s Images

The “sterling silver Kelly [is] one of the rarest pieces ever created by Hermès and now available at auction for the first time in seven years,” according to a statement from Christie’s.

Two limited-edition Bolide bags, also from Hermès, are part of the sale. Inspired by automobile travel, these bags—created 100 years after the original—feature tiny wheels for a touch of whimsy, plus hardware made from Palladium. One example is bleu saphir epsom leather with orange wheels, while the other is gold with yellow wheels.

The classic handbag represents “the imagination and innovation that Hermès is known for,” the catalog said. “Its silhouette was made to seamlessly fit inside the trunk of a car and its zipper, the first to ever be featured on a handbag, allowed for elegant ease of access while traveling.”

“There are also several men’s handbags included in the sale, such as “The Rock” HAC Birkin by Hermès, which has an estimate of US$40,000 to US$50,000 and is on offer for the first time from Christie’s. “This is the first Birkin bag specifically crafted for men and inspired by the supple appeal of leather jackets,” according to the auction house.

The sale also an acrylic and crystal ice-cube clutch with silver hardware that was part of a fall 2010 Chanel runway show with an estimate of US$6,000 to US$8,000; a limited-edition yellow and black monogram leather pumpkin bag by Louis Vuitton with Yayoi Kusama that could fetch up to US$15,000; and a Louis Vuitton trunk, circa 1890, that is estimated to sell for between US$10,000 to US$15,000.

Handbags have had a banner year, with 2023 sales reaching a total of HK$154 million (US$20 million) in sales so far this year—a record in the handbags and accessories category, according to Christie’s. The record was broken at a November auction in Hong Kong, where the company sold nearly HK$55 million (US$7 million) in rare and designer handbags.

A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.

The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.

The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.

GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.

“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.

The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.

Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.

According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.

“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”

The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.

Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.

“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”

The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.

With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.

Mini Hermès Kelly Handbag Could Fetch $200,000 at Auction

With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.