The most frequently crafted bags in the Shebag handmade workshop are the Hermès styles that require VIP eligibility to purchase at official boutiques. These bags are notoriously hard to acquire in physical stores, involving long waiting lists. Buyers must maintain good rapport with Hermès sales associates to secure one. At Shebag, the lead time for customising any premium full-leather handmade bag is a flat 12 days, with no extensions.

Shebag’s leatherworking craftsmanship matches that of authentic Hermès pieces, a fact evident from our stitching techniques.

The Evelyne was originally designed as an equestrian utility bag. Every load-bearing seam across the entire bag is finished with fully hand-executed saddle stitch, also known as Couture Sellier. Minor non-load-bearing lining sections receive preliminary machine stitching. Among Hermès’ minimalist everyday carry bags, this style features the most refined stitching tolerance and structural reinforcement design.

Hand stitching along the bag body edges

Stitching on shoulder strap leather panels

Detailed stitching of interior leather tags

The core stitch utilised at Shebag is the two-needle single-thread saddle stitch, the brand’s benchmark craft standard.

Its working principle relies on a single length of French beeswax-coated linen thread threaded with one hand-sewing needle at each end, which pierces the leather in alternating crossing motions. Continuous diagonal double-wave stitching patterns form on both the front and reverse sides of the leather, a detail impossible to replicate with industrial lockstitch machines for authentic Hermès finishes.

This stitch delivers superior structural safety: should one segment of thread snap, the entire seam will not split open. The design stems from its original function carrying damp horse tack, demanding exceptional load-bearing capacity. By contrast, industrial double lockstitch seams unravel entirely once any thread breaks. The needles penetrate the leather at a consistent 45-degree diagonal angle, creating slanted stitches running from top-left to bottom-right with a natural visible tilt, never perfectly horizontal.

Uniform industrial stitch spacing standards mandate 14 stitches per inch, equivalent to 2.54 centimetres, with each individual stitch measuring approximately 2.2 to 2.5 millimetres in length.

Primary bag body seams, top opening edges and side load-bearing seams strictly adhere to the 14 stitches-per-inch rule. Small leather tabs, snap fastener patches and shoulder strap tip sections allow slight adjustment to 13 or 14 stitches per inch. Minor handcrafted deviations are permissible, yet inconsistent uneven spacing never occurs.

Distinct hallmarks of hand stitching include minuscule natural variations between stitch intervals, unlike the perfectly uniform spacing produced by automated machinery. After stitching is complete, artisans tap the thread lines gently with specialised wooden mallets to press the waxed thread flush against the leather surface. This yields a matte, plump grain-like raised stitch texture, free of loose floating threads or indentation creases on the leather.

Shebag exclusively employs French beeswax-infused linen thread for all stitching work.

The thread base consists of high-tensile natural linen fibres that boast far greater tensile strength than cotton thread. It resists moisture and mould growth, perfectly suited to the bag’s original equestrian application transporting damp riding equipment.

The full thread length undergoes repeated saturation with pure natural beeswax to fill gaps between individual fibres. This treatment prevents fraying and thread splitting, lubricates needles to minimise tearing damage to leather during piercing, and develops a soft aged patina over prolonged use that blends seamlessly with the leather’s tone.

Two colour matching approaches are applied: tone-on-tone invisible stitching and contrasting accent stitching, the classic combination being cream or off-white thread paired with dark leather hides. All thread dyes share the same pigment base as the leather, eliminating colour mismatch or dull grey discolouration.

Stitching work on the Evelyne is split into hand-finished and machine-aided zones across the full bag.

All load-bearing structural areas undergo 100% pure hand saddle stitching, serving as key authenticity verification points.

This includes full perimeter side seams of the bag body, circular top and bottom base seams, double reinforcing stitches along the folded top opening, front snap leather tabs, internal securing leather strips, reinforcing leather patches holding metal ring hardware on both sides, full-grain leather wraps at both ends of canvas shoulder straps, leather shims for strap adjusters, edge stitching on interior pockets, and outline stitching surrounding the HERMÈS PARIS leather interior tag.

Machine-aided stitching is limited solely to non-structural non-woven textile or suede lining components that bear no external weight. Machine stitches only serve as temporary base joins for lining fabric panels and simple lining fastenings. All outer load-bearing leather panels receive a secondary layer of reinforcing hand stitching. Genuine Hermès bags are never fully constructed using only industrial sewing machines.