Kelly Calèche

In 1867, the Hermès house became the reference in the equestrian world. Hermès would later move into leather goods. Its “star item” is the Kelly bag, created in 1935. Calèche is the fragrance that truly allowed the house to become known in perfumery. In 2007, Kelly Calèche is an olfactory tribute to the star products of the Hermès house.

Kelly Calèche, the two legends of Hermès

The two names of the fragrance Kelly Calèche refer to two legends of the Hermès house. Kelly is the name of a bag, designed by Robert Dumas and released in 1935. Held together by four studs, the bag had a trapeze shape. At first, it was called a “handbag for ladies” or a “travel bag with strap.” It was created to replace travel trunks and features a lock on top. In the 1950s, Princess Grace Kelly was seen with the Hermès bag on her arm. From then on, the house decided to rename it the Kelly bag. Its success was immediate and immense. Calèche is the name of a feminine fragrance released on a large scale in 1961. Calèche paid tribute to the horse-drawn carriages that allowed people to travel easily at the time. With Calèche, the Hermès house also wished to pay tribute to the world of the horse, the one thanks to which it exists. Kelly Calèche is thus the union of these two legends, products dear to the heart of the house.

The floral leather scents of Kelly Calèche

Jean-Claude Ellena, in-house perfumer for the Hermès house, wished to capture here the scent of leather, that of the Kelly bag. He therefore imagined a modern, floral leather accord. This leather accord is paired from the outset with flowers such as lily of the valley, iris, rose and narcissus combined with green notes. Tuberose, rose and mimosa fill a heart brimming with femininity. The base of Kelly Calèche is sensual, warm and charismatic. It is composed of a leather accord paired with powdery iris and woody notes. The thick glass bottle is dressed in a slender line. Its transparency reveals a soft pink juice, ultra feminine. The bottle echoes the lanterns that once adorned carriages. It is also the bottle used for the classic line of the Hermès house. In the Eau de Parfum version, a small padlock decorates the neck of the bottle. It is paired with a lock mechanism topped by a ring, the same one that opened Kelly bags.

When Hermès combines beauty with tradition, the result is Kelly Calèche. An olfactory representation of the house’s strongest products. The leather recalls the scent of the Kelly bag. Combined with floral notes, it offers an exceptional composition.