What constitutes a bag with forever appeal? Logos often aren’t the answer, nor are overtly garish designs. Hoping to make a financially savvy investment by purchasing the latest OTT accessory is to risk going into red when it comes to cashing up. One only has to take to Tik Tok to see that even a new generation of astute luxury shoppers has understood the difference between buying fashion for fashion’s sake and, well, buying with the increased chance of making your money back (if you ever wanted to). Next to jewellery, timeless bags fall into the latter category, and the fashion set is falling head over top-handle for Fendi’s Peekaboo bag family (yes, not just the Fendi Baguette), making it a quiet contender in the race for the best bags to invest into now.
First debuted on the spring/summer ‘09 runway, the Peekaboo was the classic antidote to the shouty bags put out by brands at the time. It was designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi - in perforated suede, glossy patent leather, and raw cotton toile to accessorise the ready-to-wear collection overseen by the late creative director Karl Lagerfeld - and it’s name, ‘Peekaboo’, was a play on the children’s game, referring to the way that the inner compartments are revealed when that bag is worn open.
With its classic trapezium shape and many fabrication iterations, the bag swiftly turned into a cult buy and - 17 years later - still upholds its quintessentially (and, thus, uber chic), Italian charm. As with any design classic, popularity demands reinvention. And so the Peekaboo family (initially the bag was called Hide and Seek), grew and evolved up until today. Its newest member - the Peekaboo Soft Small - joins the long line-up almost two decades after the original bag’s conception, just in time to become part of the Italian house’s centennial celebrations this year. To mark the inauguration of this new icon, the house tapped director Emir Eralp and the Swedish band Little Dragon to create a short film and that highlights the brand’s multidisciplinary drive for a creative dialogue.
That the new Peekaboo Soft Small bag is already endorsed by tastemakers and celebrities, such as the singer Raye, comes as no surprise. This perennial accessory favourite strikes a chord in all of its variations (ICYMI, Taylor Swift carries the Peekaboo ISEEU), chiming with the ever-growing appetite for bags that cater towards our wish for stripped-back, modern silhouettes that say ‘look at me’, but only for those in the know. It’s sleek, it’s elegant and comes with an attention to craftsmanship that warrants a luxury price tag. It's the ultimately adaptable companion for our multifaceted, busy lives and, what’s more, it’s also a raving success on resell platforms, where archive styles from the past 17 years are hot property.
If this has you thinking about moving some of your sartorially dedicated funds, we don’t blame you - so do we. And, as it’s already stood the test of time, the Peekaboo seems to be a safe bet.
Fendiwww.fendi.com