There are only a few days left to go to the Kellymorphose exhibition, paying tribute to the legend of the Kelly bag. This exhibition can be seen until 17 July in the historic boutique on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris.
The history of the Hermès Kelly
Originally, the Hermes Kelly bag was much larger than we know it today, as it had a completely different purpose. Its primary function was to carry his saddle and his riding boots. But in 1935, the House decided to completely revisit it. Its shape became more elegant, the leather evolved into a rigid leather and a padlock was added to the clasp.
It was in 1954 that Grace Kelly came into play in this story. During the shooting of “La Main au collet”, Alfred Hitchcock suggested to his costume designer that she choose the accessories for the film in an Hermès boutique. It was then that the actress fell madly in love with the House.
Grace Kelly, now a princess, stepped off her plane and used her Hermès bag to hide her rounded belly in order to conceal her pregnancy. This image, which became emblematic and legendary, made the bag famous and made it a real object of desire for all women. This is why it was renamed “the Kelly bag” : a legend was born.
An exhibition not to be missed
In this high jewellery collection, Pierre Hardy, creative director of jewellery, offers a metamorphosis of the Kelly of the House of Hermès. These pieces of great beauty will be displayed in the historic Hermès boutique, in a scenography by artist Mathias Kiss. The quintessence of elegance, the Kelly legend is metamorphosed into precious jewellery pieces.
Pierre Hardy said, “The Kelly bag ennobles functional elements: the straps, an elementary clasp composed of a reel, a plate and four nails. I do the same thing with the Kelly jewellery, hijacking or heckling the original lines.”
These pieces, made of rose gold, white gold, solid silver and adorned with diamonds, sublimate and transform the Kelly into a unique object. The Kelly can now be worn next to the skin, as each of its elements is modified. The latch becomes the clasp of the bracelet, and even more so the strap comes to wrap delicately around the neck.
“A chain that winds, a ring that splits, a bell that swings to the rhythm of the walk. I like movement, capturing mobility, but without ever fixing it. I like the momentum of the body,” Pierre Hardy emphasises.
The must-have piece of this exhibition ? The Kelly Gavroche necklace in white gold with diamonds.
Kellymorphose exhibition, present until Saturday 17 July 2021, from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris.
Read also > THE BOTICELLI EXHIBITION ARRIVES IN PARIS IN SEPTEMBER
Featured photos : © Hermès[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
