Bag Review – Fendi Baguette

“It’s not a bag, it’s a baguette,” were the matter-of-fact words that spoke out from our obnoxiously clunky box TVs during the early 2000s. Of course, it was only another iconic season of the American romantic comedy-drama, Sex and the City, and Carrie Bradshaw had taken a fateful turn into a New York City alleyway, ultimately catching the eyes of a thief who would demand her bag – only to be corrected in return.

Now, of course, it can’t be confirmed if it was the glistening of the purple sequin baguette or the Manolo Blahnik’s that Carrie bought at half price at a sample sale that caught the mugger’s attention. Regardless, the episode became a major success and Carrie’s adoration for the practical shoulder bag triggered an immense demand for Fendi Baguettes – which led to over 100,000 original Fendi Baguettes being sold within the first year of its release.

This wouldn’t be the last time we’d catch sight of this it-bag, it would later return in another memorable episode of Sex and the City and would be the main culprit of a brawl between Samantha Jones and a Playboy Bunny. The tug-of-war began at a party where Samantha would shout to Charlotte York, “That Bunny has got my bag,” and by then, the Baguette had already become the apple in every fashion fanatic’s eye.

Fast forwarding to the current time, we’re still riding the wave that 2022 swept us into. Whether or not you own TikTok, you’ll have noticed an emerging generation yearning for the ‘glamorous’ times that the 2000s offered us – aka, the Y2K era. Yes, you heard that right! A time when the blonde bombshell, Paris Hilton was the ultimate it-girl and denim jeans and skirts were a red-carpet occurrence and we only have the resurgence 0f the second-hand-market to pay thanks to – making the nostalgic era’s it-bags (including the Baguettes) that much more accessible.

The Fendi Baguette can be carried by hand, or worn either on the shoulder or crossbody thanks to the detachable handle and shoulder strap.

Front flap

Magnetic clasp

Unlined internal compartment with zip pocket

Size Options:

Pico Baguette – 6.5 cm length, 6.5 cm height, 2.5 cm width

Nano Baguette – 11 cm length, 6.5 cm height, 2.5 cm width

Mini Baguette – 19 cm length, 11.5 cm height, 4 cm width

Medium Baguette – 27 cm length, 15 cm height, 6 cm width

Large Baguette – 33 cm length, 18 cm height, 5.5 cm width

Hardware Options:

Silver or gold-toned hardware

Material Options:

The material options vary from calfskin and fur to fabric and sequins depending on the collections.

Can we be surprised that the Fendi Baguette bag has risen to the same rank of high respect that both the elegant Lady Dior bag and the Chanel Classic Flap bag receive on a daily basis? Not really, its acclaimed story would begin back in 1965, when the renowned Karl Lagerfeld joined alongside Silvia Venturini Fendi as Artistic Director – turning a long-time family-led Italian luxury fashion house into a worldwide brand. It’s well-known that Karl himself is to be credited for the creation of the famed “FF” (which stands for Fun Fur) logo during the era’s adoration for logo-mania.

Not long after, precisely three years later, the Fendi Baguette was added to the Italian luxury brand’s list of iconic handbags. The Baguette had first been envisioned by Silvia Venturini Fendi who was inspired by how Parisian women carried the French bread under their arms after returning from their local bakery – it could be said that the Baguette’s rectangular-shaped silhouette, single detachable strap and the effortless flap is nothing less than an ode to the women of France.

More recently, the Italian luxury fashion house celebrated Fendi Baguette’s 25th Birthday – joining forces with the likes of Marc Jacobs, Tiffany & Co, Sarah Jessica Parker (an incredibly appropriate choice) and Porter who all paid homage to the iconic bag in their own unique ways. From Marc Jacobs reflecting the glittering and gritty New York City landscape into his collection to Tiffany & Co’s more sophisticated touch which aimed to re-imagine the Baguette in its most precious forms.

Despite helming the effortless style of a local Parisian, the Baguette bag is the epitome of New York City’s fast-paced life. Whether that be through its various different ways to be worn as a result of the Baguette’s newer additions which come with a single detachable top handle and a detachable strap to match or maybe its colossal amount of unique designs that leave us spoilt for choice.

Either way, the Fendi Baguette will continue to be the it-girls, it-bag despite fluctuating trends and with Gen Z’s revival of Y2K fashion – this iconic bag(uette) is only just getting started…