Nostalgia was the name of the game at the Fendi flagship Tuesday, and in more ways than one.
The brand held a cocktail party to celebrate the launch of its Baguette 26424 Re-Edition, as well as the inauguration of its Baguette Lab, a restoration service for both new and vintage bags.
Attendees included Olivia Wilde, Blake Lively, Delilah Belle Hamlin, Ella Hunt and more, all of whom came with their own Baguettes in tow.
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“I love that they acknowledge people are finding these in great condition and valuing them,” said Wilde, who popped into the soirée just before Lively did.
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“I think embracing the secondhand market is really smart from a business perspective,” Wilde mused. “They know that these vintage Baguettes are very popular, and people have collected them lovingly, and it’s such a smart way of bringing them back into Fendi. Now, they can update and personalize it. It’s a very smart business model, but it’s also really fun.”
Wilde’s early memories of the brand include stepping into a store in Rome. “It was this beautiful, incredible old palazzo. I think of Fendi as being the best of chic, classic Italian fashion. Maria Grazia [Chiuri, the creative director] has worked in so many different incredible fashion houses, but thinking of her returning to her roots at Fendi is very exciting.”
From there, Wilde mingled with the rest of the guests, all of whom also took the opportunity to browse. Lively, for example, wasted no time in playing with different bag styles. That playfulness extended to the other guests, too.
“When I think of Fendi, I think of going through my mom’s closet as a young girl, just exploring and finding the coolest Baguettes,” said Hamlin. “They were the most unique pieces she had.”
Hamlin wasn’t the only celebrity offspring to join, as Deacon Phillippe milled about with the rest of the crowd, between trays of hors d’oeuvres.
Lux Pascal was among the last to arrive about an hour in, and she had similarly wistful musings on the accessory. “It symbolizes women becoming professional in the city, being able to afford their lives here,” she said. “It’s also a bit of fun. It symbolizes success in a young woman’s life.”