Hermès introduced the Constance in 1959. It was designed by the house draftswoman Catherine Chaillet, who named it after her newborn daughter. With the Kelly and the Birkin it makes up what Sotheby's calls Hermès' "Big Three".
The Constance is a compact, structured flap bag closed by a large metal H, the feature that makes it instantly recognisable. Its adjustable strap lets it be worn on the shoulder or across the body. The earliest examples were made in Box calf, while later Constances are most often in Epsom, Chèvre or Swift leather, with exotic versions made in smaller numbers. Its visibility rose when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was often photographed carrying one.
Current sizes are the Constance 14, 18 and 24, and the elongated Elan. The 23, 25 and 29 have been discontinued but still trade actively. Sotheby's reports a Himalaya crocodile Constance 24 selling for nearly $100,000 in 2023.