I thought I already knew what to expect from a Fendi Baguette. (Actually, I have Fendi Baguette bag too) After all, this is one of those bags that has been reworked in almost every imaginable material and color. But when I first saw the new Baguette 26424 images, it felt different.

This isn’t simply another seasonal Baguette.

The number “26424” actually refers to the original version introduced in 1997, and Fendi has brought that archival design back for its Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection. So rather than modernizing the Baguette beyond recognition, the brand seems to be asking a much more interesting question: what made the original so special in the first place?

Does it actually look different from today’s Baguette?

The proportions immediately feel very classic.

The bag measures 26 cm wide, 14 cm high and only 4 cm deep. That slim rectangular shape sits close to the body, which is exactly where the “Baguette” name originally came from—the idea of carrying it tucked under the arm like a loaf of French bread.

There is a front flap with the signature FF buckle, an internal zip pocket, and adjustable, removable handles and shoulder straps. The shoulder strap drop is around 46 cm on many versions.

What interests me more, though, is how Fendi treats that simple shape almost like a blank canvas.

There are versions in FF Zucca jacquard, denim, leather, sequins, beads, raffia, mink and even exotic skins. Put two of them side by side and they almost look like completely different bags.

And somehow, that feels very Baguette.

60,000 beads on one bag… is that excessive or brilliant?

Some versions move far beyond normal luxury-bag decoration.

The peacock-green edition, for example, is embroidered by hand with around 60,000 micro-beads and requires more than 90 hours of craftsmanship. Another multicolor version uses 51,400 beads and takes over 173 hours to complete.

There is even a raffia version decorated with 22,600 beads forming a tiger motif, requiring more than 70 hours of work.

At that point, I’m not sure it makes sense to judge these purely as practical handbags. They start feeling closer to collectible craft pieces.

Of course, hearing “173 hours of hand embroidery” does make the price easier to understand.

Whether it makes the price easier to pay is another question…

And then I checked the US prices

This is where the Baguette 26424 gets interesting.

On Fendi’s US website, one of the most accessible versions is the classic FF Zucca jacquard model at $3,100. A tiger-print cavallino version is $3,700, while a black organza and sequin version reaches $6,300.

The hand-beaded green edition is $8,200. The embroidered mirror Re-Edition is $10,000, while the raffia and bead version costs $11,000.

Then things become considerably more serious.

A natural mink version is $12,400, the heavily embroidered multicolor Re-Edition is $13,100, and a black version with bead fringes is $15,800.

At the very top of the range I found a black crackled crocodile leather Baguette 26424 priced at $34,700.

Yes, $3,100 and $34,700 bags share essentially the same silhouette.

That sounds ridiculous at first, but maybe thinking of 26424 as a small collection rather than one specific handbag makes more sense.

Would I actually use it every day?

The dimensions are practical enough for essentials: phone, cardholder, lipstick, keys and perhaps a small pouch.

But the 4 cm depth tells the real story. This isn’t a bag for someone who carries half their life around.

And material matters enormously.

I could imagine using the Zucca jacquard or simpler leather versions regularly. A bag covered in tens of thousands of beads? I would probably become nervous every time someone brushed against me.

That contradiction is part of the appeal, though. Some 26424s are luxury shoulder bags. Others feel more like wearable objects.

So which one would I choose?

Personally, I keep coming back to the versions around the $3,100-$4,000 range.

The FF Zucca jacquard model gives you the archival shape, unmistakable Fendi identity and the whole 26424 story without pushing the bag completely into collector territory.

The extravagant embroidered versions are more memorable, no question. If someone already owns several classic luxury bags and wants one piece that can transform a simple black dress, jeans or an oversized coat, I can understand the temptation.

Online bag communities seem similarly divided. There is genuine excitement around the return of elaborate Baguettes, but the escalating prices—especially for the heavily embellished editions—are difficult to ignore.

And that’s pretty much where I land too.

The Fendi Baguette 26424 isn’t exciting because it’s practical or reasonably priced. It is exciting because Fendi has remembered that the Baguette was never supposed to be boring.

Some versions are excessive. Some are almost absurdly expensive.

But when I look at them, I still want to look again.

Maybe that’s the most authentic Baguette quality of all.