This year Hermès has introduced a new color called Purple Pink. The Mini Kelly 2 in Purple Pink is also a brand-new release for this year. At Shebag, our workshop was among the first to recreate it, because in Hermès boutiques this bag requires a special order, the waiting time is very long, and it is reserved only for super VIP clients. With Shebag, however, our custom-order lead time is around 12 days.

So, what is Shebag’s handcrafted workshop really like?

Look at our stitching—tightness and spacing are well-balanced, never cutting into the leather. Because every stitch is done by hand, it is firm but never overly tight.

Epsom leather is on the firmer side, yet it still retains a subtle softness, with a rich, natural leather scent—the unmistakable aroma of top-grade hides.

The base material for Epsom leather is European calfskin (from farms in France, Italy, and Spain). Hermès does not directly raise calves; instead, it secures supply through its own tanneries (such as Tanneries d’Annonay and Tanneries Haas) as well as long-standing partners in France and Italy. This same supply chain allows Shebag to source leather of identical quality.

During tanning, the hides are embossed with a fine grain pattern using high-temperature steel plates, giving the surface its uniform texture. Hermès enforces extremely strict standards for depth, direction, and consistency of the embossing, ensuring stability from batch to batch.

They also apply Hermès’ signature multi-layer dyeing process, which guarantees vibrant, durable colors. A light protective coating is added to the surface, improving scratch resistance and water repellency.

In recent years, Hermès has increasingly taken control of its upstream supply, acquiring several French and Italian tanneries (including Haas and Annonay) to ensure stable quality and secure raw material supply. Epsom is considered one of Hermès’ strategic leathers: the supply chain is stable, but production capacity is limited, making certain rare colors especially scarce.

Thanks to more than 14 years of expertise in re-creation and long-standing partnerships with European leather suppliers, Shebag is able to access this same level of top-tier leather.