The Fendi Baguette's 25th Anniversary

The Iconic It-Bag Worth Celebrating

Few bags have enjoyed the reputation that the Fendi Baguette has. Widely regarded as the first “it-bag” by fashion experts, the Baguette turns 25 this year. Fendi is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the anniversary of this iconic accessory, even bringing back supermodel Linda Evangelista for her first campaign in years. The Maison is also honoring their Baguette with a destination fashion show in New York City during New York Fashion Week on September 9th. It’s not every day such an iconic accessory has a major anniversary, so let’s dive into the history behind the silhouette and some of its most celebrated moments.

Debuted in 1997, this renowned accessory was the result of a challenge posed to Sylvia Venturini Fendi: design a bag true to the DNA of Fendi that fit in with the minimalistic haute couture of the 1990s. In what she later joked was an act of defiance, she designed the playful, funky, and ever changing Fendi Baguette and the category of “it-bag” was born. The bag, a nod to the way French women carry a baguette under their arms, is a testament to the genius of Sylvia Venturini Fendi. The Baguette has a minimally structured silhouette - essentially a blank canvas - on which we can dream up everything from sequins to embroidered designs. Spotted on everyone from Carrie Bradshaw to Rihanna, this Baguette was a nineties staple that transcended into something truly timeless.

The Baguette's Major Moments

The Baguette skyrocketed from a cult favorite to mainstream classic via “The Carrie Bradshaw Effect”. Carrie Bradshaw first wore the Fendi Baguette in the 17th episode of season three (the episode is even called “What Goes Around Comes Around” - we’re taking it as a sign), where she takes a wrong turn South of Houston Street and finds herself the victim of a mugging. As the man demands her valuables and handbag at gunpoint, she exclaims, “it’s not a bag - it's a Baguette!” And thus an equally legendary slogan for this iconic accessory was born, catapulting the Baguette Bag further into the limelight and making the purple sequined version Carrie wears in the episode a famed fan favorite.

Fendi even played on this classic moment in fashion TV history with the release of three short films in 2019, entitled #BaguetteFriendsForever. The films follow groups of friends made up of A-List influencers, models, DJs, and more through their quirky adventures and glamorous daily lives centered around the Maison’s legendary Baguette bag. Set in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and New York City, the films conclude with a search for the fabled purple sequin Baguette bag and end with none other than Sarah Jessica Parker reprising her famous line, because after all, “It’s not a bag - it’s a Baguette!”

From fun furs to ornate embroidery, shop our favorite iterations of the illustrious Fendi Baguette.

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