FENDI, the luxury brand renowned in Rome, Italy, has tapped legendary supermodel, actress, and philanthropist Naomi Campbell for the new campaign of its timeless iconic bag, the PEEKABOO.
The History of the PEEKABOO
The "Fendi woman" is many-faceted, and so is her PEEKABOO. Since its launch in 2008, the PEEKABOO bag has become a signature expression of Roman craftsmanship combined with Fendi femininity. Designed by Accessories Artistic Director Silvia Venturini Fendi and debuted at the Spring/Summer 2009 women's show, the Peekaboo was born with the intention of redefining modern accessories from an era dominated by the "It bag." Clean and minimal, geometric and curvaceous, the Peekaboo is both beautiful and playfully functional. Its original trapezoidal shape, inspired by the spirit of mid-century frame bags, was transformed in the Fendi ateliers into an architectural feat of contemporary leather art. Blending suppleness with rigid form, gravity with structure, the Peekaboo is a veritable shapeshifter. Built around a double turnlock upper frame, the gusseted pocket structure and weighted keyhole hardware create a suspended drape when the bag is opened, revealing the bag's signature curved "smile" that reveals the luxurious craftsmanship within.
"At that time, the catwalks were overflowing with bags, so I really wanted to create a bag that only a true leather goods manufacturer like Fendi could make. It was my moment to set things right with the 'New Classic'. I wanted to create a new movement for the bag for the first time, evoking the rock aesthetic of vintage bags. Lightness has always been important at Fendi. When you think of a Fendi coat, sometimes the inside is more precise and precise than the outside. Things are reversible. You know it's Fendi because it's light, and the way it moves with the body. I really wanted to express that idea in a bag. That's why I chose a very soft leather. When you open the bag and reveal the inside, you'll see different colors of the most beautiful glove leather. When you put your hand inside the 'Peekaboo', you can feel the softest leather in the world," recalls Silvia Fendi.
"Peekaboo on Parade"
The Peekaboo first appeared on the Spring/Summer 2009 women's catwalk, completing Karl Lagerfeld's ready-to-wear collection. The top-handle style was crafted in neutral tones of off-white cotton toile, exotic leather, black patent leather, and perforated suede, revealing a speckled water snake pattern on the interior. Silvia Fendi subsequently evolved the design each season, introducing new styles that played on scale, wearability, materials, and craftsmanship. Soon, the Peekaboo was reimagined with seasonal details such as shoulder straps, wood or Lucite handles, and Selleria stitching. The artistic possibilities of its multifaceted façade—equally beautiful inside and out—led to countless variations in design and size, and its signature turnlock could be twisted to reveal its inner hues. Today, the PEEKABOO is a constant presence on the runways of Kim Jones's women's ready-to-wear collections for Fendi and Silvia Fendi's men's collections. From the PEEKABOO ISeeU, which debuted on the Fall/Winter 2020 catwalk and features an accordion shape and sharply angled sides, to the PEEKABOO X-Lite, a single-pocket model that retains the PEEKABOO's key defining characteristic of "concealment and visibility," but with a repositioned turnlock on the back panel for greater space and lighter weight.
The Playfulness and Character of Peekaboo
With a playful name inspired by the children's game "Peekaboo!", Peekaboo is a study in opposites, contrasting refined minimalism with precious textures and colors, constantly appearing inside and out while questioning the intimacy between woman and bag. Expressing Fendi's sense of humor and irony, it surprises with its exquisite details and the possibilities of beauty revealed with a twist of the turnlock. By unfolding the bag's "smile," the Peekaboo instantly transforms into a trompe l'oeil-like personification of mouths, smiles, and faces. This has inspired artists and famous friends, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow, singer Joey Yung, architect Zaha Hadid, models Liu Wen and Hikari Mori, and singer Adele, to create special interpretations of the Peekaboo alongside Silvia Fendi. The resulting objects also speak to the avant-garde movements of 20th-century Italian art and design that developed alongside Fendi. The rigorous construction, the supple draping of pocket panels, and the combination of bold mechanical design and geometric hardware elevate the Peekaboo beyond fashion accessories, making it a collectible treasure that will be treasured alongside other utilitarian objects.
The Character of Peekaboo
"The Peekaboo wearer is a multifaceted person, with hidden talents, who chooses what to reveal about themselves and when," says Silvia Fendi. The idea of a singular "type" of Fendi bag wearer is outdated, and the Peekaboo's continued presence in the fashion world from the late 2000s through the 2010s and into the 2020s is a testament to its dynamic appeal worldwide to people of all ages, personalities, styles, and walks of life. Yet the Peekaboo style is imbued with a classic flair with a twist: its essential functionality can become a metaphor for the wearer's emotions and moods.
"Bags are full of secrets, so the idea of the 'Peekaboo' is a bag that can be opened and carried. Owning a 'Peekaboo' represents someone who is very strong, powerful and empowered, who is not afraid to hide. The 'Peekaboo' has two compartments: one that you can keep close to you and keep closed, and the other that you can choose to reveal something of yourself to the world," continues Silvia Fendi.
Exuding sophisticated allure, just like the person who carries it, the 'Peekaboo' embodies the image of Fendi's timeless and innovative spirit. This 'unlocked bag' can have as many different personalities as those who choose it, demonstrating the extraordinary versatility and enduring appeal of this iconic item.
Peekaboo Personalities
Iconic figures from art, fashion, industrial design, architecture, film, royalty, and diplomacy have worn the Peekaboo around the world. Its sleek, clean lines and unconventional classicism, punctuated by a turnlock, have seen it worn by powerful figures at official events around the world, from Meghan Markle on the streets of London to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, evoking its elegance in formal settings. Actors and singers also wear the bag openly and proudly, choosing it to complete their colorful styles on their days off or on the red carpet, showcasing its myriad charms. Known Peekaboo users include Angelina Jolie, Adele Exarchopoulos, Danna Paola, Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Ryoko Yonekura, Jennifer Lopez, Rita Ora, Reese Witherspoon, Lareina Song, Song Hye Kyo Song, and Tang Yixin. Since the introduction of Peekaboo men's styles in the Fall/Winter 2014-15 collection, athletes, actors and musicians have chosen Peekaboo's bold, masculine shapes and rich hues, including Gossip Girl star and professional skater Evan Mock, Netflix's "Elite" star Manu Rios, "13 Reasons Why" star Brandon Flynn, "Lucifer" star Tom Ellis and French soccer champion Karim Benzema.
Closer to home, for Silvia Fendi, the Peekaboo serves as a matrilineal symbol of family and a beloved heirloom, connecting her with her daughters, Delfina Delettrez Fendi and Leonetta Luciano Fendi. As seen in the #MeandMyPeekaboo campaign, for Fendi women, the Peekaboo is a bag to be shared and passed down from generation to generation, a game of swapping moods and personality traits to match their favorite bag.
Debuting in 2018 to mark the Peekaboo's 10th anniversary, the #MeandMyPeekaboo visual campaign continues to celebrate the unbreakable bond between mothers and sisters, sons and daughters, around the world. Comprising intimate portfolios and video interviews with stars from social media to Hollywood film, the series begins with the Fendi family and features the relationships of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Carys Zeta-Douglas, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner, AMIAYA, Sylvia Chang and Oscar Wang, Chiara Ferragni and her sister Valentina Ferragni, and Francesca Ferragni and her husband Fedez.
In Love with Her Peekaboo
Peekaboo's architectural lines and gentle femininity have been embodied by a powerful cast of mothers, daughters, and friends of Fendi over the years. These campaigns amplify the very "object mythology" of this legacy creation and reinforce the intimate connection between women and Peekaboo. In 2022, renowned Italian director Luca Guadagnino created a whimsical, epic short film featuring British model and activist Adwoa Aboah, gliding effortlessly across the rooftops and piazzas of the Eternal City. Like a modern-day heroine, Aboa and the Peekaboo bag magically combine profound feminine strength and the secrets of Peekaboo when they arrive on the steps of Fendi's Palazzo della Civilt'Italiana.
Supermodel, actress, and philanthropist Naomi Campbell, a longtime friend of Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear Kim Jones and Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear Silvia Fendi, reprises her role as the "face" of Peekaboo for Spring/Summer 2023 in a cinematic color and black-and-white visual campaign by British photographer David Sims. Emblematic of bold feminine energy and a legendary presence, Naomi's unique persona perfectly epitomizes the independence, ambition, and strength of character that Peekaboo represents to women worldwide.
#InlovewithmyPeekaboo
The History of the PEEKABOO
The "Fendi woman" is many-faceted, and so is her PEEKABOO. Since its launch in 2008, the PEEKABOO bag has become a signature expression of Roman craftsmanship combined with Fendi femininity. Designed by Accessories Artistic Director Silvia Venturini Fendi and debuted at the Spring/Summer 2009 women's show, the Peekaboo was born with the intention of redefining modern accessories from an era dominated by the "It bag." Clean and minimal, geometric and curvaceous, the Peekaboo is both beautiful and playfully functional. Its original trapezoidal shape, inspired by the spirit of mid-century frame bags, was transformed in the Fendi ateliers into an architectural feat of contemporary leather art. Blending suppleness with rigid form, gravity with structure, the Peekaboo is a veritable shapeshifter. Built around a double turnlock upper frame, the gusseted pocket structure and weighted keyhole hardware create a suspended drape when the bag is opened, revealing the bag's signature curved "smile" that reveals the luxurious craftsmanship within.
"At that time, the catwalks were overflowing with bags, so I really wanted to create a bag that only a true leather goods manufacturer like Fendi could make. It was my moment to set things right with the 'New Classic'. I wanted to create a new movement for the bag for the first time, evoking the rock aesthetic of vintage bags. Lightness has always been important at Fendi. When you think of a Fendi coat, sometimes the inside is more precise and precise than the outside. Things are reversible. You know it's Fendi because it's light, and the way it moves with the body. I really wanted to express that idea in a bag. That's why I chose a very soft leather. When you open the bag and reveal the inside, you'll see different colors of the most beautiful glove leather. When you put your hand inside the 'Peekaboo', you can feel the softest leather in the world," recalls Silvia Fendi.
"Peekaboo on Parade"
The Peekaboo first appeared on the Spring/Summer 2009 women's catwalk, completing Karl Lagerfeld's ready-to-wear collection. The top-handle style was crafted in neutral tones of off-white cotton toile, exotic leather, black patent leather, and perforated suede, revealing a speckled water snake pattern on the interior. Silvia Fendi subsequently evolved the design each season, introducing new styles that played on scale, wearability, materials, and craftsmanship. Soon, the Peekaboo was reimagined with seasonal details such as shoulder straps, wood or Lucite handles, and Selleria stitching. The artistic possibilities of its multifaceted façade—equally beautiful inside and out—led to countless variations in design and size, and its signature turnlock could be twisted to reveal its inner hues. Today, the PEEKABOO is a constant presence on the runways of Kim Jones's women's ready-to-wear collections for Fendi and Silvia Fendi's men's collections. From the PEEKABOO ISeeU, which debuted on the Fall/Winter 2020 catwalk and features an accordion shape and sharply angled sides, to the PEEKABOO X-Lite, a single-pocket model that retains the PEEKABOO's key defining characteristic of "concealment and visibility," but with a repositioned turnlock on the back panel for greater space and lighter weight.
The Playfulness and Character of Peekaboo
With a playful name inspired by the children's game "Peekaboo!", Peekaboo is a study in opposites, contrasting refined minimalism with precious textures and colors, constantly appearing inside and out while questioning the intimacy between woman and bag. Expressing Fendi's sense of humor and irony, it surprises with its exquisite details and the possibilities of beauty revealed with a twist of the turnlock. By unfolding the bag's "smile," the Peekaboo instantly transforms into a trompe l'oeil-like personification of mouths, smiles, and faces. This has inspired artists and famous friends, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow, singer Joey Yung, architect Zaha Hadid, models Liu Wen and Hikari Mori, and singer Adele, to create special interpretations of the Peekaboo alongside Silvia Fendi. The resulting objects also speak to the avant-garde movements of 20th-century Italian art and design that developed alongside Fendi. The rigorous construction, the supple draping of pocket panels, and the combination of bold mechanical design and geometric hardware elevate the Peekaboo beyond fashion accessories, making it a collectible treasure that will be treasured alongside other utilitarian objects.
The Character of Peekaboo
"The Peekaboo wearer is a multifaceted person, with hidden talents, who chooses what to reveal about themselves and when," says Silvia Fendi. The idea of a singular "type" of Fendi bag wearer is outdated, and the Peekaboo's continued presence in the fashion world from the late 2000s through the 2010s and into the 2020s is a testament to its dynamic appeal worldwide to people of all ages, personalities, styles, and walks of life. Yet the Peekaboo style is imbued with a classic flair with a twist: its essential functionality can become a metaphor for the wearer's emotions and moods.
"Bags are full of secrets, so the idea of the 'Peekaboo' is a bag that can be opened and carried. Owning a 'Peekaboo' represents someone who is very strong, powerful and empowered, who is not afraid to hide. The 'Peekaboo' has two compartments: one that you can keep close to you and keep closed, and the other that you can choose to reveal something of yourself to the world," continues Silvia Fendi.
Exuding sophisticated allure, just like the person who carries it, the 'Peekaboo' embodies the image of Fendi's timeless and innovative spirit. This 'unlocked bag' can have as many different personalities as those who choose it, demonstrating the extraordinary versatility and enduring appeal of this iconic item.
Peekaboo Personalities
Iconic figures from art, fashion, industrial design, architecture, film, royalty, and diplomacy have worn the Peekaboo around the world. Its sleek, clean lines and unconventional classicism, punctuated by a turnlock, have seen it worn by powerful figures at official events around the world, from Meghan Markle on the streets of London to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, evoking its elegance in formal settings. Actors and singers also wear the bag openly and proudly, choosing it to complete their colorful styles on their days off or on the red carpet, showcasing its myriad charms. Known Peekaboo users include Angelina Jolie, Adele Exarchopoulos, Danna Paola, Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Ryoko Yonekura, Jennifer Lopez, Rita Ora, Reese Witherspoon, Lareina Song, Song Hye Kyo Song, and Tang Yixin. Since the introduction of Peekaboo men's styles in the Fall/Winter 2014-15 collection, athletes, actors and musicians have chosen Peekaboo's bold, masculine shapes and rich hues, including Gossip Girl star and professional skater Evan Mock, Netflix's "Elite" star Manu Rios, "13 Reasons Why" star Brandon Flynn, "Lucifer" star Tom Ellis and French soccer champion Karim Benzema.
Closer to home, for Silvia Fendi, the Peekaboo serves as a matrilineal symbol of family and a beloved heirloom, connecting her with her daughters, Delfina Delettrez Fendi and Leonetta Luciano Fendi. As seen in the #MeandMyPeekaboo campaign, for Fendi women, the Peekaboo is a bag to be shared and passed down from generation to generation, a game of swapping moods and personality traits to match their favorite bag.
Debuting in 2018 to mark the Peekaboo's 10th anniversary, the #MeandMyPeekaboo visual campaign continues to celebrate the unbreakable bond between mothers and sisters, sons and daughters, around the world. Comprising intimate portfolios and video interviews with stars from social media to Hollywood film, the series begins with the Fendi family and features the relationships of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Carys Zeta-Douglas, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner, AMIAYA, Sylvia Chang and Oscar Wang, Chiara Ferragni and her sister Valentina Ferragni, and Francesca Ferragni and her husband Fedez.
In Love with Her Peekaboo
Peekaboo's architectural lines and gentle femininity have been embodied by a powerful cast of mothers, daughters, and friends of Fendi over the years. These campaigns amplify the very "object mythology" of this legacy creation and reinforce the intimate connection between women and Peekaboo. In 2022, renowned Italian director Luca Guadagnino created a whimsical, epic short film featuring British model and activist Adwoa Aboah, gliding effortlessly across the rooftops and piazzas of the Eternal City. Like a modern-day heroine, Aboa and the Peekaboo bag magically combine profound feminine strength and the secrets of Peekaboo when they arrive on the steps of Fendi's Palazzo della Civilt'Italiana.
Supermodel, actress, and philanthropist Naomi Campbell, a longtime friend of Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear Kim Jones and Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear Silvia Fendi, reprises her role as the "face" of Peekaboo for Spring/Summer 2023 in a cinematic color and black-and-white visual campaign by British photographer David Sims. Emblematic of bold feminine energy and a legendary presence, Naomi's unique persona perfectly epitomizes the independence, ambition, and strength of character that Peekaboo represents to women worldwide.
#InlovewithmyPeekaboo
