What fake Hermès Kelly Clemence means

Clemence is a Hermès trade name for taurillon, a bull calf leather. It has a large pebbled grain, a matte finish, and a soft hand. Hermès has used it on the Kelly, Birkin, and Bolide since the 1980s. A fake Hermès Kelly Clemence is a counterfeit bag that copies the Kelly shape and uses leather made to imitate the Clemence grain.

Clemence leather facts

  • Source: taurillon, a young bull. Not calfskin from a female animal.
  • Grain: large round pebbles. Wider and looser than Togo grain.
  • Finish: matte. Low sheen under light.
  • Thickness: about 1.5 mm. Heavy for its size.
  • Weight test: a Kelly 28 in Clemence weighs near 1 kg or more. The same size in Epsom weighs less.
  • Behavior: takes in water and oil. Slouches with use. Corners round off.
  • Color: takes dye deep. Blues and reds read saturated.

How counterfeits differ

Most replica Clemence is cowhide with an embossed grain. The pebbles look stamped and repeat in a pattern. Real Clemence grain is irregular; no two panels match.

  1. Weight. A counterfeit Kelly 28 in embossed cowhide often weighs under 800 g.
  2. Edge paint. Hermès applies thin edge paint by hand. Counterfeit edges run thick and cover the stitch line.
  3. Stitching. Hermès uses saddle stitch: two needles, one thread, stitch angle reversed on each side. A machine lock stitch shows the same angle on both sides.
  4. Hardware. Kelly hardware is gold or palladium plated brass. Counterfeit plating flakes at the turn lock and the sangle plates.
  5. Blind stamp. HERMÈS PARIS and MADE IN FRANCE are pressed with no ink. Placement changes by model and year. Check reference photos for the year in question.
  6. Date code. Sits inside the bag. Format changed over time. Recent bags use a letter and a number inside a square. Older bags use letters inside circles and squares.
  7. Smell. Clemence smells of tanned leather. Embossed cowhide often smells of glue and plastic.

Clemence versus Togo and Epsom

Togo is also taurillon, with a finer grain and more body. Epsom is embossed and pressed, so it holds shape. Clemence is the softest and heaviest of the three. Sellers often label a bag Clemence when the leather is Togo, because Togo is easier to source.

Market prices

Hermès does not publish prices. A new Kelly 28 in Clemence sells above $11,000 at US retail. Resale runs higher. Wholesale replica Kelly bags in Clemence-style leather run from about $150 to $1,500 each, based on tier. Tier depends on leather, hardware plating, and stitch method. No replica uses taurillon from the tanneries that supply Hermès.

Law and import in the US

Hermès holds trademarks on the Kelly shape, the name, and the hardware design. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments at the border under 19 U.S.C. § 1526. A buyer who resells a counterfeit bag as genuine can face civil claims from Hermès and criminal charges.

What to verify before you buy

  • Ask for a photo of the date code and the blind stamp. Ask for the weight on a scale.
  • Ask for a photo of the interior stitch. Look for two-sided saddle stitch.
  • Ask which leather the bag is. If the answer is Clemence but the grain is uniform across panels, the leather is embossed.
  • Ask for the tannery name. Hermès owns its tanneries. Replica sellers cannot name one.