Short answer
There is no Epi Hermès Constance 24. Epi is the name Louis Vuitton gives its embossed grained calfskin. Hermès uses Epsom, a stiff, embossed calfskin with a similar look, on many Constance bags. When a listing calls a Constance "Epi," the seller has mixed two brands, which is a common sign that the description was copied from a template. The Constance 24 itself is a small flap bag with a large H clasp, a long strap, and a goat-skin lined interior. Any bag sold as a "fake" version of it is a counterfeit, and buying or importing one is illegal in the United States under trademark law, with seizure at the border and civil claims against sellers.
What the Constance 24 actually is
- Size: roughly 24 cm across, which is where the number comes from. It sits between the Constance 18 mini and the longer Constance Elan.
- Shape: a slim rectangle with a fold-over flap and rounded corners.
- Closure: the H clasp, a two-piece metal closure in which the horizontal bar of the H slides into a tab on the flap.
- Strap: a single leather strap with two folding loops that shorten the drop for shoulder or crossbody wear.
- Interior: goat-skin lining known as chevre, one flat slip pocket, and card slots on the back wall.
- Leathers: Epsom, Togo, Swift, Chevre Mysore, and exotic skins, depending on the season.
Why Epi shows up in these listings
Search engines and marketplace templates merge keywords. Epi and Epsom both describe a fine, regular, embossed grain pressed into calfskin, so sellers borrow the more familiar term. The two are not the same material. Epsom is pressed and coated for stiffness, which helps a structured bag such as the Constance hold its shape. Togo and Swift are softer and slouch over time. A seller who cannot say which leather a bag uses, or who lists Epi and Epsom as interchangeable, has not handled the bag.
How to inspect a Constance 24
- Turn the bag to the clasp and read the engraving: it should be crisp and centered, with the accent on the final E of Hermes.
- Look for the blind stamp inside the back wall or under the flap: it carries the maker's mark, country of origin, and a year code, pressed into the leather without foil.
- Count stitches along the flap edge: a hand-sewn saddle stitch runs at roughly 7 to 9 stitches per centimeter, slanted and even, with no skipped loops.
- Open the flap and check the lining: goat skin has a fine pebble grain and a slight sheen, while a papery or plastic-feeling lining is a reject.
- Flex the leather at the gusset: Epsom stays rigid and springs back, while cheap embossed leather creases into white lines.
- Test the H clasp: the horizontal bar should seat with a firm, quiet click, and the metal should feel dense rather than hollow.
- Ask for the original receipt, rain cover, dust bag, and box, then compare the date code against the year the seller claims.
- Photograph the item before payment and send the photos to a reseller or authentication service that handles Hermès.
Legal and practical risks
US Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit goods at the border, and the shipment is destroyed with no refund. Federal law treats trafficking in counterfeit goods as a crime, and trademark owners can also sue sellers for damages. Buyers seldom face charges, but they lose both the money and the bag. Resale creates another problem: no auction house, consignment store, or resale platform will accept an unauthenticated Constance, so a counterfeit has no secondhand value. Counterfeit hardware also tarnishes, and the strap attachment points on low-end copies fail at the rivets.
If you want the look without the legal risk
Consider a structured flap bag from a leather goods maker that sells under its own name, or a pre-owned Constance from a reseller that offers an authenticity guarantee. Hermès still produces the Constance in several leathers and sizes, though boutiques keep limited stock and a purchase history often helps. That route is slow and costly, but the bag holds value, can be serviced, and carries no risk of seizure.