The Fendi Baguette is bar none, the brand’s most iconic creation. It was designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the current artistic director for accessories and menswear, 25 years ago.
But it was in 2000 that the Baguette gained prominent mainstream ‘It’ bag status, thanks to Sex and the City. In an equally iconic scene in season three of the series, Sarah Jessica Parker’s character was mugged on the streets of New York City. “It’s a Baguette,” she corrected the perpetrator before unwillingly surrendering her purple sequinned Baguette.
Since then, there was no stopping the Baguette from becoming the silhouette that Fendi is characteristically known for. It’s been revived ever-so-often throughout the years with Parker even featured in one of the campaigns (with the iconic line, of course).
There’s little surprise then that Fendi decided to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Baguette in quite outstanding fashion. As an homage to the pop culture moment that signified its relevance in fashion and beyond, the fashion house decided to be part of New York Fashion Week — gathering Parker, the Fendi fold, and a host of multi-generational faces that represent the kind of timeless allure that the Baguette holds.
The Fendi Baguette 25th Anniversary collection was teeming with Baguette after Baguette after Baguette — and most of the time, they all appeared in a single look. Artistic director of womenswear Kim Jones translated the Baguette into a myriad of forms that deviated from its original functionality.
It became a game of “Where’s the Baguette?” after a while because they were literally incorporated into almost every piece in the collection. To give you a sense of just how over-the-top it was, the show opened with a look that comprised of a cargo-like skirt with Baguette patch pockets (and a nano Baguette charm), gloves plastered with a Baguette on each side, socks (yes) featuring a Baguette towards the outside, and of course two different-sized Baguettes held by the model’s right hand.
Honestly, I would’ve been disappointed if they went Baguette-lite with this collection.
The clothes in general was a downtown chic aesthetic that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the original Sex and the City series. The infamous purple sequinned Baguette made an appearance in look 15 (clutched rather protectively this time around) and Baguette-infusions were aplenty in ready-to-wear hybrids that lent a utilitarian approach.
But what was even more impressive was the sheer number of collaborations that Jones concocted.
First, was the return of a collaboration with Japanese luggage brand Porter. Making use of hard-wearing nylon, the Baguette was converted into lightweight additions on a host of accessories as well as the Bum Baguette — essentially a bumbag interpretation.
Baguettes with degradé sequins were fittingly designed in collaboration with Parker. They’re each inscribed with her famous line on the inside and come with four interchangeable buckles.
Then there was a collaboration with New York City’s own Marc Jacobs. The American designer took over the finale of the show with a flurry of looks that incorporated his signature stylings with the Baguette as well as a thoroughly opulent juxtaposition of glamour and street.
The final collaboration was a marrying of Tiffany & Co.’s visual language with that of Fendi’s. The resulting Baguettes were plastered with buckles that incorporated ‘T’ into Fendi’s FF, a stippled sterling silver version that’s engraved with lilies and roses, as well as bag charms and jewellery that all harmoniously blended the codes of both houses. Tiffany Blue also made an appearance in a number of ready-to-wear pieces and most prominently on Bella Hadid.
The consensus has been made even more concrete 25 years on: the Baguette is clearly not just a bag.
View the full Fendi Baguette 25th Anniversary runway collection in the gallery below.
