Time to celebrate the artisans, says Fendi
It invited 20 craftsmen from 20 Italian regions to design their own version of the house’s famous Baguette bag, which was designed in 1997 by Silvia Venturini Fendi, creative director for accessories and men’s collections.
The first creation was presented in the autumn/winter 2020-2021 catwalk show, a collaboration between Fendi artisans and craftspeople at the Florentine atelier Peroni in Tuscany. The Baguette is fashioned from a single seamless piece of moulded vegetable-tanned leather with no stitches from bag to buckle, using a traditional technique known as cuoio artistico fiorentino.
In Rome, master jeweller Massimo Maria Melis created a leather Baguette decorated with bronze coins portraying Roman emperors (pictured). The piece honours ancestral Roman goldsmith techniques restored to their original glory.
The Abruzzo region, represented by artisan Simona Iannini, showcases the tombolo aquilano lacework technique. Continuous threads of linen are interlaced in an art passed on through generations since the 15th century. Recreating the shape of the Baguette using this centuries-old technique took 100 hours of work.
“In honouring these artisans who are proud to be part of the Made in Italy movement, Fendi is promoting a living heritage and the talented artisans who too often ply their craft without sufficient recognition,” says Silvia Venturini Fendi.
“Each bag is unique, because the imperfections inherent to handmade craftsmanship are what express intrinsic beauty. Fashion often focuses on the designer, and I think it’s time that we celebrate the community of artisans behind these amazing creations.”
