Where can you buy an Hermes Bolide in London today? The Bolide is not an allocated bag, so the London boutiques do sell it at retail when stock appears — but appearances are irregular, and the sizes people actually want rarely wait around. The dependable route is the authenticated secondary market: JULL, a London specialist in new, unworn and pre-owned Hermes, typically holds Bolide bags in stock that can be viewed in London and bought the same day.
Below: the history that makes the Bolide quietly important, the sizes, London prices in 2026, and how to buy one with certainty.
The first handbag with a zip
The Bolide holds a real place in design history: created in 1923 by Emile Hermes, it is regarded as the first handbag ever fitted with a zip — a fastening he had seen in North America and brought back to Paris. A century later the shape is essentially unchanged: a rounded, doctor-bag silhouette with a top zip, twin handles and, in most sizes, a removable shoulder strap. It is the discreet connoisseur's Hermes — less announced than a Birkin, just as beautifully made, and often kinder to the budget.
Bolide sizes
The Bolide 1923 mini and the 25 are the current darlings: neat, zip-secured day bags that also work for evening. The 27 and 31 are the classic everyday proportions — the 31 a genuine work bag — while the 35 and the big travel sizes serve as elegant hand luggage. The relaxed Bolide Mou, unlined and slouchier, appears occasionally and has its own following. Most are made in Taurillon Clemence, Epsom or Swift; exotics exist and are collector pieces.
What a Bolide costs in London in 2026
The Bolide is one of the better-kept secrets of the secondary market: because it is less hyped than the quota bags, its prices are gentler than its craftsmanship suggests. In London we currently see standard-leather 25s, 27s and 31s typically offered from around the mid four-thousands to the high seven-thousands, with the mini 1923, rare colours and exotics above that. These are observations of today's market rather than promises; every piece in our Bolide gallery shows its exact price, and listings sourced below boutique retail say so plainly.
Boutique or specialist
Because the Bolide is unallocated, patience at a boutique can work — if your size and colour happen to align with the shelf. A specialist removes the waiting: the exact bag, today, with the paperwork that makes a considered purchase feel safe. The questions worth asking any seller are set out in our guide to choosing a Hermes reseller in London.
At JULL every Bolide is authenticated by hand in our London workroom before listing — zip hardware and pulls, blind stamp, stitching and leather grain checked against production records — then sold with an itemised invoice recording the blind stamp, sealed with a tamper-evident tag, and covered by our published Refund Policy.
Checking a Bolide is genuine
On a Bolide, start where the bag started: the zip. It should run with a smoothness fakes never manage, and its pull should be correct for the era. The curve of the body should be symmetrical, the piping even, the handles identically wrapped, and the blind stamp consistent with the lining and hardware generation. The full method is in How to Authenticate an Hermes Bag, and the vocabulary is decoded in the Hermes Glossary.
Buying a Bolide from JULL
Stock is live in the Bolide gallery, each bag with full specifications and its price. Reserve online in minutes — payment is by instant bank transfer against a unique order reference — or talk to a specialist on WhatsApp. Insured next-day UK delivery, or a private London viewing to feel the sizes in hand first.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Bolide cheaper than a Birkin? Size for size and leather for leather, the Bolide generally sits well below Birkin money on the secondary market — one reason collectors quietly love it.
Which Bolide size should I choose? The 25 or mini 1923 as an elegant day-to-evening bag; the 27 or 31 for real daily service; 35 and up for travel. Handled side by side the answer comes quickly — book a viewing.
How much is a Bolide in London in 2026? On the authenticated secondary market we typically see standard-leather 25-31s from the mid four-thousands to the high seven-thousands, with minis, rare colours and exotics above. Exact prices are on each listing.
Is the Bolide practical? Among the most practical bags Hermes makes: it zips fully shut — rare in this house — and the strap makes it hands-free.
Can I buy a Bolide online from JULL today? Yes — every bag in the gallery is in stock in London and can be reserved online now, with insured next-day UK delivery.
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JULL is a London specialist in authenticated new, unworn and pre-owned Hermes. Browse the Bolide collection or tell us what to find.