One of my birthday gifts from me to me for my 34th birthday is this Hermès Evelyne bag in TPM (or mini) in gold hardware, which I have purchased second-hand and in pristine condition from Vestiaire Collective.
It was created in 1978 by the head of the Hermès riding department, Evelyne Bertrand. Since its creation, it has served to be a functional and convenient carryall to hold the tools of horse groomers. The H logo was originally designed to face inward, towards the body, as a ventilation system to ventilate the contents of the bag and keep brushes and sponges dry. The bag was only exclusively made for the riding department, but in the early 2000s the bag was officially transferred to the leather goods department and began production for Hermès lovers to add to their collections.
This is probably one of the most versatile handbags that I own. It’s casual and durable, minimal, and has a very understated design…and my favourite part is that keeps my hands free. I’ve used it as an ‘essentials bag’ for running around the theatre during production week, travel, date night, and gallery tours.
Because of the brand’s exclusivity and popularity, most of their accessories are significantly more expensive and even more highly coveted now than when they first launched. The Evelyne, which was originally designed in 1978 for equestrian use, is said to retain an average resale value of nearly 80%, according to Sotheby’s. The Hermès Evelyne TPM price was $1,800 in Hermès boutiques, but due to the popularity of the size and demand for this bag, it now sells for a premium on the second-hand market (roughly around US $ 2,000-3,000) if the bag is in pristine condition, and its price will depend on the item’s rarity—colour, and hardware. And yes, that means you could only get it on the second-hand market these days because according to 1st Dibs, the luxury house discontinued the Evelyne bag in 2019.