Hermès Bolide Bags

The Hermès Bolide was introduced in 1923 when Emile-Maurice Hermès created this handbag for his wife to be used for an automobile event in Paris.  The bag was designed to be stowed into the trunk of a car with "lightning speed" (hence, the name Bolide, which is a term for meteor).  It was the first handbag to have a zipper closure.  Conceptualized as a piece for the emerging automobile age, the Bolide quickly became a "must have" fashion and travel accessory.

In 2018, Hermès introduced the Bolide 1923, a more modern and streamlined version of the original Bolide.  It was followed by Mini Bolide 1923, an 18cm version of the Bolide 1923.  Today, both the Bolide and Bolide 1923 come with shoulder straps, clochette, lock and keys.  The Bolide comes in four sizes -- 27cm, 31cm, and 35cm.  The Bolide 1923 comes in the Mini 18cm, 30cm, and 45cm.