Baguette Bread – the bread loved by the fashion world worldwide
May
Not only a timeless symbol in French cuisine, the Baguette bread is also one of the eternal muses of the fashion world.
For France, the French people, and French culture, the Baguette bread is not just food. It is present everywhere in their daily lives, from adorning dinner tables to inadvertently becoming an accessory to their appearance when they bring them home. Moreover, the traditional French bread has been a tool for the lower classes in France to reclaim equality and regain freedom. The Baguette bread is a symbol deeply rooted in French culture, to the extent that artisanal bread-making was officially recognized in November 2018 by the French Ministry of Culture when it was added to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and later in 2022 when UNESCO also included it in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Fashion reflects culture, and within culture lies cuisine. Cuisine and fashion are inherently different realms. However, these contrasting universes have intersected numerous times. There have been many designers who passionately incorporated culinary elements into their design language. Cuisine and fashion – the two main symbols in French culture, so it’s not difficult to explain why the Baguette bread has also become one of the iconic styles in French fashion and worldwide. In 1997, Silvia Venturini, the granddaughter of the Fendi fashion house, created the famous Baguette bag that any fashion enthusiast would recognize. The image of a French woman strolling the streets of Paris with a freshly baked Baguette bread always left a lasting impression on Venturini. Therefore, she decided to create a fashion bag with a design similar to a Baguette bread, fitting its shape and size. Back then, she probably didn’t think that a design inspired by French Baguette bread could bring such resplendent success to an Italian brand. Just like 25 years ago, when Fendi turned the Baguette bread into a significant symbol in the fashion house’s design language, now, the “fashion feast” of the fashion world is beginning to see more appearances of “Baguette” bread, created by various brands/designers – modern, humorous, and more authentic.
In fact, when first introduced to the fashion world, Fendi’s iconic Baguette bag did not immediately capture the attention of fashionistas. That is until it was “delivered” into the hands of actress Sarah Jessica Parker when she played Carrie Bradshaw in the TV series “Sex & The City”. The bag, along with the iconic outfits, turned Carrie Bradshaw into a fashion icon of the 1990s and even until today. It also made Fendi’s Baguette bag highly coveted, becoming the “It” Bag sought after by fashion enthusiasts. After 25 years of being “baked”, Silvia Venturini – creative director of accessories for Fendi menswear, decided to recreate her iconic creation. In the Fendi FW23 fashion show, the fashion house reinterpreted the famous French Baguette bread in a different way, this time made of sheepskin. Completely different from the original, Fendi’s new “Baguette” bag was crafted to resemble a Baguette bread fresh from the oven. The Baguette bread was whimsically and realistically placed inside the handbag, tote bag, or worn on the back like an umbrella.
The Baguette bag can now be found not only at Fendi but also at many other fashion brands, with even more unique imitations.
In the new era where fashion becomes more playful and humorous, the fashion world sees more “Baguette ovens”. The Baguette bag can now be found not only at Fendi but also at many other fashion brands, with even more unique imitations. French designer Amélie Pichard introduced the Michard bag in 2019. It is a handbag shaped like a French Baguette bread, made of glue wood and can be worn over the shoulder with a gold metal chain. In the Fall-Winter 2020 collection presentation, Moschino also delighted the fashion world with a long clutch bag that looks exactly like a Baguette bread just taken out of the oven. Recently, the fashion world has been stirred up by the Baguetee bag interpreted with a strong Punk vibe, coming from the brand known for its “crazy” accessories – Dauphinette. On the brand’s official Instagram account, Dauphinette has kept its customers on edge with a series of unexpected versions of the Baguette bag – the famous French Baguette bread covered with carefully attached layers of stones and charms, followed by studs and even an additional small wallet attached to the back. When fashion becomes unpredictable and open-minded, designers can also access more creative inspirations. Therefore, now a fashion accessory or any fashion design inspired by ordinary objects is no longer a too novel topic in the fashion world. Bags with “unusual” shapes like a landline phone, garbage bag, or Baguette bread are gradually becoming “It” bags favored by all fashion enthusiasts.
