In 2008, the Peekaboo handbag first appeared on the Fendi runway, taking its name from its playful construction whereby a front flap can be pushed downwards into a U-shape to reveal a ‘peek’ at the interior (when open, the curved shape has also been likened to a smile). Conceived by Silvia Venturini Fendi – a third-generation scion of the Roman dynasty – the Peekaboo was designed as a playful riff on the ladylike, top-handle styles of the 1940s and 1950s, and has appeared in various iterations in the two decades since.
In Venturini Fendi’s S/S 2026 runway show, held last September, the Peekaboo once again took centre stage, reimagined with a series of bold interior linings, from gleaming sequins and tassel-like paillettes to beaded floral motifs, revealed only when the bag is opened. As such, the series is titled ‘Inner Beauty’, with each embellishment individually handcrafted by the house’s artisans.
The Fendi ‘Peekaboo Inner Beauty’ bag on the runway at the house’s S/S 2026 show
They proved a fitting swansong for Venturini Fendi, who has been responsible for some of the most memorable accessories of recent times – including the Baguette, which was introduced in 1997 – and has recently taken on a new role as Fendi’s ‘honorary president’ which will see her step away from her previous creative responsibilities.
She has been replaced by Maria Grazia Chiuri, the former creative director of Dior, who also hails from Rome and presented her debut collection for Fendi in Milan this past February. ‘What a wonderful journey it has been,’ said Venturini Fendi when the news was announced last September.
A version of this story appears in the April 2026 Global Interiors Issue of Wallpaper*, available on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News + now. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
