What makes an It-bag?
WHETHER SLUNG ACROSS THE SHOULDER OF A ‘90S SUPERMODEL OR IMMORTALISED ON A ‘00S TV ICON, EACH BAG REPRESENTS A DECADE DEFINED. HERE, WE CHART A CENTURY OF FENDI’S MOST ICONIC STYLES, AND THE ERAS THEY HELPED TO SHAPE
WORDS BY SARAH NOONAN
Adele Fendi at the boutique in Rome in the 1930s.
1925–1935: ADELE
Named for co founder Adele Fendi, this bag emerged at a time when women were stepping into the modern world with structure and purpose, and it delivered both. The classic style signalled a new kind of Roman glamour.
1945–1955: FENDI GEMINI
Launching in the post-war years, the Gemini marked Fendi’s first double-compartment design. As optimism crept back into the cultural mood, the Gemini mirrored the shift, embracing beauty and a renewed sense of ritual.