The fashion world has seen the release of many iconic bags over the years: the Hermès Birkin Bag (you can learn about Birkin bag history here), Lady Dior, Chanel 2.55…think of any luxury fashion brand and it has probably created a bag that became one of the main symbols of the Maison and left a mark on the fashion industry forever. Today, we are going to talk about one specific piece: the Fendi Baguette.
The Fendi Baguette has been around us for 26 years now, and it’s one of the classic bags that has endured the test of time. Let’s learn about its fascinating history, and how it has evolved over the years to become the it-bag.
The History Of The Fendi Baguette
Who Designed The Fendi Baguette
The famous bag was created by Silvia Venturini Fendi in 1997, granddaughter of the Fendi House founders Adele and Edoardo Fendi and Creative Director of Accessories at the time when Karl Lagerfeld was artistic director.
What Is The Fendi Baguette
Do you know why it is called a Baguette? In case you are thinking it has something to do with French bread, then you are not wrong! Silvia Venturini Fendi was in fact inspired by Parisian women who would carry the baguette bread under their arms. So she designed the bag in a way so that it could be carried as comfortably as a loaf of bread.
The design is practical indeed. The standard Baguette measures 26 x 14 centimeters. It is longer than it is tall so it’s perfect to be carried easily under the arm. Over time, it has evolved into different sizes – mini, small, medium, and large. There is also the “Pico” version, which is a jewel to be hung on the bag.
The launch of the bag was a pivotal moment in the history of Fendi, as the 90s was the time when the brand just began making handbags since it has been traditionally associated with leather goods, fur (which was modernized under the direction of Karl Lagerfeld with his first couture fur collection released in 1966), ready-to-wear with the first collection in 1977, then the shoes in 1978, and fragrances in the 1980s. So thanks to the Fendi Baguette, the Italian House also became associated with handbags.
Fendi Baguette History
Carrie Bradshaw & Fendi Baguette
Even though it didn’t gain instant popularity (which is hard to believe), in its debut year, the Baguette sold over 100,000 units! The success is due in high part to Sarah Jessica Parker who played Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City, which first aired in 1998. Perhaps you remember Carrie’s famous lines “It’s not a bag, it’s a Baguette”? She appeared multiple times in the series wearing the baguette and made it a popular and must-have accessory.
The popular bag later returned to the TV show’s reboot And Just Like That… in which Sarah Jessica Parker appeared wearing the purple sequined baguette.
The Age of Logomania
The 2000s was the age of logomania, so people saw in the bag’s iconic inverted FF logo (which stands for “Fun Furs” and was invented by Karl Lagerfeld) a symbol of status. It became so popular that other brands started to create similar versions, which dropped the bag’s popularity and was the reason for the brand to briefly discontinue the production of Baguettes.
#BaguetteFriendsForever
Fendi brought back the iconic accessory in 2019 with a campaign entitled #BaguetteFriendsForever, a series of three short movies that recount the urban adventures of best friends, featuring the iconic Baguette bag. Starring A-list influencers, actresses, DJs, and models in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and New York, the episodes follow inseparable friends carrying the baguette while shopping, having lunch at a restaurant, or for a girl’s night out. Indeed, the bag is as much a popular accessory choice for many occasions – from running an everyday errand to attending an event.
Fendi Baguette 25th anniversary
On September 9, 2022, Fendi opened New York fashion week with a special runway show to celebrate the 25-year anniversary of the Baguette. The show included many interpretations of the accessory.
For this occasion, the Italian fashion house invited a few guest designers for special collaborations around the Baguette Bag.
In addition to creating a capsule collection of ready-to-wear pieces, Marc Jacobs was given the reins to reinterpret Fendi’s iconic Baguette.
Unsurprisingly, Sarah Jessica Parker was another guest designer and made a come-back with the baguette, revisiting the famous handbag she popularized so much in Sex & The City. The 4 versions of the bag were designed with sequined embroidery with a tie-dye effect that comes in pink, purple, blue, and green.
Fendi x Tiffany & Co.
Another collaboration Fendi released on the occasion of its 25th year anniversary was with Tiffany, creating a baguette in the signature Tiffany blue color.
“The idea of paying tribute to the baguette through a Tiffany design made a lot of sense to us for obvious reasons and the fact that they chose to do it in New York. It’s the 25th anniversary of the baguette bag and we’re experimenting with many new techniques and innovations in jewelry and handbag design” said Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH.
The Tiffany & Co. x Fendi Capsule Collection includes a medium baguette in crocodile leather, smooth leather, or silk satin and a nano size in smooth leather or silk satin with a sterling silver chain handle. All styles feature the special return to Tiffany tags. Baguette-shaped enamel charms are also offered as part of the collection.
Since its release in 1997, the Baguette Bag has had over 1000 variations:
In canvas, leather, raffia, sequins, and more fabrics. Countless colors and multicolored patterns have been added to the collection year after year.
The Baguette Bag is still a top choice for all the fashionistas and celebrities worldwide – Gigi Hadid, Rihanna, and Paris Hilton – to name a few. In the words of Silvia Venturini Fendi herself, the bag has “its own personality and its own identity — it’s a little sexy bag!” — and now, everyone knows it. “The Baguette is like a best friend that never leaves your side”.
“It was a special day when I designed this bag; the stars aligned. The horoscope said it was a Fendi day”, Silvia Venturini Fendi said in a press release announcing the latest batch of 25 re-editioned baguettes launched in November 2022 to celebrate the bag’s 25th anniversary.
Are you a fan of the Fendi Baguette? Which reinterpretation of the bag do you like the most? Share with us in the comments!
If you want to learn more about the most iconic bags, you can read this article, or read about the famous Gucci and Louis Vuitton bags we wrote about in this Gucci history article and Louis Vuitton history article.
