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Photographs by Chris Anderson
If you dream of a handbag, chances are you dream of Hermès. In the last decade, the Kelly and its sister, the Birkin, have become symbols of taste and class. But when the Kelly was introduced in 1930, no one showed much interest. Not until 1956, when Grace Kelly used the purse to shield her pregnant belly from a photographer, was the bag elevated to celebrity status. To understand why a Kelly costs $5,500 (or more) and requires a year's wait (or more), we requested an Hermès bag in red box leather, 35 centimeters long. Instead, we received the bag in a smaller size (32 centimeters), and the more rigid leather was replaced by a soft, pebbly skin they call ''fjord.'' So the dream is deferred, but the process still dazzles. — Lynn Hirschberg

 


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