Bite Autumn 2012

bite book reviews

Images courtesy of Rizzoli NewYork

I n the opening page of the book Fendi Baguette , Silvia Venturini Fendi, third generation of the Fendi design dynasty recalls, “I was asked, among other things, to come up with a particularly easy and functional handbag. In a certain sense, it had to be technological and minimal,just like the times. My response (fortunately I am indomitably disobedient) was the Baguette: the exact opposite of what had been requested of me.” In 1997, the Baguette, a deceptively small and simple handbag that fits snugly under the arm like the French loaf from which it takes its name, turned out to be an unprecedented success and an enduring style symbol that women the world over coveted and collected with a passion. It gave the label Fendi a solid, safe-conduct into the future and a vital passage into the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) collective.With contributions from Banana Yoshimoto, Paola Antonelli, Pearl Lam, Quirino Conti, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sophie Fontanel, Dana Thomas and Achille Bonito Oliva, Fendi Baguette edited by Silvia Venturini Fendi celebrates the craftsmanship, artisanship, connoisseurship and design of the astonishing range of Baguettes. Silvia Venturini Fendi, once the bad girl of the Fendi clan, left boarding school at the age of 17. Through her genius and rebellious forward-thinking the Baguette bag, the hottest accessory of the moment, was created. She said, “We’ve tried to figure out why people liked the bag so much, and we still don’t know.” President of the company’s board, Carla Fendi and her sisters including Silvia’s mother,Anna, are proud of her achievements: “We always believed Silvia had a great intuitive talent and the Baguette’s success confirms we weren’t mistaken.” The chapter titled ‘ Fendi For Themselves’ written by Dana Thomas recounts Silvia’s rebellious streak, her success managing Fendissime,

a collection for the younger client, and her promotion to Fendi accessories at the suggestion of Karl Lagerfield, Fendi’s ready-to-wear designer since 1965. It was at this moment that Silvia started to tinker with the logo. “When I was a little girl, I was impressed by the famous canvas material with the double F’s and thought it was very strong.” Today, the logo is a reworked double-F buckle. The Fendi Baguette brand has produced over 700 models, ranging from the simple and understated to the unique and deluxe, embellished with embroidery, sequins, beading, leather, fur, and crocodile skin. Some are wild limited-edition works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Richard Prince and Jeff Koons, while others are embellished with precious stones. Design curator at the Museum of Modern Art, Paola Antonelli was quoted in the book: “ The Baguette was conceived from the beginning as an archetype, its simple and distinctive shape a canvas for hundreds of possible variations in materials and visual interpretations…” Explaining the relationship between technology and traditional craftsmanship, she further explained, “The Baguette has proved addictive, not only for fashion and luxury victims, but also for its designer. This book collects many of a thousand that have been produced, sometimes at the rate of fifty models a year. In this meta era, the Baguette has become the embodiment of fashion, which Virginia Postrel calls ‘the process by which form seems exhausted and then refreshed, without regard to functional improvements.’” Pearl Lam, curator, dealer and private collector of contemporary Chinese art recalls her amazement at seeing a crowd of women dressed elegantly in fashionable ensembles, smoking and chatting at the front door of the Fendi shop around Via Borgognona in 1999. “A friend told me about the popularity of the Baguette bag

– it was the Baguette that had drawn the fashion crowds to Fendi’s doorstep and they were patiently waiting for the arrival of the newly designed bags - as if they were baguettes fresh from the oven.” She goes on to describe her own fetish for the brand, “I was first totally seduced by the Baguette’s opulence and glamour, then its contradiction to mainstream fashion. I found myself being lured by an aquamarine sequined bag, the sequins sewn as though on an evening dress. I loved its frivolity, and it was the first Baguette I owned.This was also my defining moment with Fendi.” Sex and The City actress Sarah Jessica Parker will always appreciate Fendi for their assistance in developing the fashion stories around her character, Carrie Bradshaw, at the beginning of the series. “ Fendi was really the first important design house to loan us items, with the Baguette handbag being the first… The Baguette became a staple of Carrie’s wardrobe and character.” Becoming a Baguette fan herself, Sarah added: “I have very sentimental feelings toward the Baguette. My very first Baguette was olive-green satin, with beautiful floral beading, a red snakeskin strap, and a colourful interior lining. I use it for everything. In my opinion, it was the new black – and it was surprisingly large.” With 250 colourful photos showing the artistic variation of the Baguette bags including Fendi’s collaboration with Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio (the Lisio Silk Artisan Foundation) and unique artwork from the likes of artists Donna Ong, Kim Sung Jin, Karen Kimmel, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Richard Prince and Delia Brown, Fendi Baguette is the ideal book to celebrate to date the Baguette’s 15 years of success and get us thinking about investing in that first Baguette bag. Fendi Baguette is published by Rizzoli NewYork. www.rizzoliusa.com