Happy 10th birthday Fendi Peekaboo! What makes the iconic bag irresistible?
As the Fendi Peekaboo bag celebrates its 10th anniversary, Cheryl Chan investigates what is it about this iconic bag that makes it so irresistible
To the women of the fendi family, the iconic Peekaboo bag isn’t just your run-ofthe-mill luxury handbag. To Silvia Venturini Fendi, creative director of accessories and menswear, it is her baby, a creature that belongs to her. Her strong sense of ownership is understandably so, especially when you realise that she is the mastermind behind one of the brand’s most successful and bestselling items. To her eldest daughter Delfina Delettrez Fendi, it is precious like a piece of jewellery and should be looked upon as an heirloom that can be passed on from generation to generation. This is an interesting comparison given the fact that the fourth-generation Fendi heiress happens to be a renowned jeweller in her own right. With many fashion brands today churning out product after product, and struggling to remain relevant in the eyes of fickle customers in an oversaturated market, the Peekaboo has stood the test of time since it made its debut on the runway in 2008. It is marking its 10th anniversary this year. All this is due to a single great idea and the confidence that Fendi had to stick by it a decade ago. “Ten years of the Peekaboo means I had a good idea 10 years ago,” Silvia enthuses. “It was an idea that came really fast, but it was an idea of value because it’s a bag that I still adore today. I am never fed up, and that’s interesting because when you work in fashion, you really feel the need to do new things; yet after 10 years, I still think that the Peekaboo is the perfect bag. It’s good to see that a good idea is forever.” While many It bags have fallen out of favour and disappeared as soon as the next wave of trends hits, the Peekaboo has somehow managed to transcend seasons, years even, and has successfully found its way into the collector’s realm. And what fun it is to collect! With multiple iterations to choose from—there is the Large Peekaboo, Regular Peekaboo, Mini Peekaboo, Micro Peekaboo, Peekaboo Essential and the latest member to the family, the Peekaboo Essentially, a smaller version of the Essential. Add on more than a thousand material choices and nearly
unlimited colour combinations, the options are almost infinite. Perhaps, this is all due to the bag’s classic design, but Fendi wants us to know that its creation was no accident. It is a wellthought-out piece of accessory that has been made to live on through the generations. “The Peekaboo bag is simple, complex and timeless,” Silvia explains. “I really think it’s one of those objects you want to belong to your family. You buy a Peekaboo not only thinking that you’ll wear it now, but also that you’re going to wear it in the future, and one of your daughters will probably steal it from your closet. It’s one of those objects that will stay with you for all time.” And just like the childhood game the bag got its namesake from, we believe that even after another decade later, the Peekaboo will continue to evoke those same fond emotions of wonder and amusement. Perhaps this time, from the generation that receives it next.