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And because behind every new trend lie words rich in meaning, it’s best to start by examining their etymology before deciphering them. Take the baguette bag, for example, the undisputed star of the catwalks, whose searches on TikTok have garnered over 1.5 billion views.
It’s recognizable by its elongated shape and irresistible aroma. We love it white, golden, or well-baked. The baguette satisfies our sweet tooth and attracts all kinds of desires. Urban legend has it that all French people (and especially Parisians) stroll around with a baguette under their arm and a beret firmly planted on their head.
This symbol of France, listed as part of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage (a bit of a cliché, we admit), has transcended its culinary origins to conquer the world of fashion. Mirroring its long, slender shape, the baguette bag also slips under the arm, as is the tricolor tradition.
At the beginning of the baguette, Fendi
While the origins of the baguette remain shrouded in mystery, those of its leather counterpart are less so. In 1997, Silvia Venturini Fendi , granddaughter of Adele and Eduardo Fendi, founders of the Italian luxury brand, designed the Baguette bag with its unique look. The craze was immediate, and the rectangular accessory became the first “it” bag in history. 26 years after its initial release, the Baguette bag is still as trendy as ever and continues to break audience records. On the social media platform TikTok, the #sacbaguette tops the list of most-watched accessories with 1.5 billion views , far surpassing the hobo bag with 24.1 million and the bucket bag with 18.8 million.
The baguette bag’s success story is surely due to its appearance on the small screen. Propelled by the series Sex and the City, broadcast in the 1990s, it became the favorite handbag of fashionista Sarah Jessica Parker, aka Carrie Bradshaw. In episode 17 of season 3, the fashion-forward journalist has her bag, adorned with purple sequins, stolen. A cult scene where the heroine replies to the thief: “This is not a bag. It’s a baguette.” More than fifteen years after the series ended, in 2019, she reprised her role for an advertising campaign. Three years later, she continued her special connection with the bag by designing the brand’s first sequined version, modeled after the one she carried in the series.
A signature of the double-F brand, the Baguette bag transcends generations without showing its age. In 2012, the designer’s six favorite models were reissued, and ten years later, nearly twenty-five retro designs were reborn in the leather goods workshops in Capannuccia, 15 km from Florence. The highlight: the bag created in collaboration with the high jewelry house Tiffany & Co., featuring its iconic turquoise hue, Tiffany Blue®. A precious reinterpretation of the Baguette, it is adorned for this (very) special occasion with sterling silver, white gold, diamonds, and enamel. Proof that this piece holds a special place in the fashion designer’s heart, she dedicated an entire book to it, published to celebrate the model’s 25th anniversary.
The Thousand and One Lives of the Baguette Bag
Since the late 1990s, the Baguette bag has been reimagined in countless variations. Fendi offers three different versions: the standard (27 cm long x 15 cm high), the mini (19 cm long x 11.5 cm high), and the multi (28 cm long x 17 cm high). The materials and colors vary with the seasons and collections, offering even more ways to match it with the latest trends. While it’s always carried under the arm, it can be worn just as easily during the day with a blazer as in the evening with a slip dress. The only drawback for those who literally carry their entire life in their bag: its minimalist size means you have to pack only the essentials.