Fendi is not letting up on their candy obsession

You’d think that they would stop at lollipops. Far from it. After releasing a staggeringly expensive case for Chapa Chups, Fendi is off to the next sweet thing—a handbag charm in the shape of a wrapped candy. Unlike the lollipop housing, the latest daggly is no holder of your favourite sweet. Shaped like a traditional, individually-wrapped hard candy, they are each “handcrafted”—Fendi emphasises—in craquelé (cracked) leather with a metallic finish. And to suit its bonbon sweetness, it comes in confiseri pink. This is clearly not in the shape of a White Rabbit Candy. It looks to be inspired by some hard candy from Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe. Nothing, however, like Hacks or Hudson’s. We do wish it was fashioned after 陈皮化核应子 or preserved plums! But who’d have them in a Fendi bag?

It is not clear what hanging a candy-shaped charm on a bag really signifies, but fashion and food are not always comfortable partners. For one, fashion has not been synonymous with the results of excessively enjoying, for example, sugar-rich food. And Fendi’s latest bag charm is at odds with our national health drive, considering that we are actively discouraging sugar consumption. It’s nearly a year since the introduction of the Nutri-Grade labels for drinks, whether bottled, canned, packaged, or freshly-made. Since last December, the grading labels have been mandatory. But they have not been on candies, possible because sweets are, as the description suggests, is almost entirely made from sugar. Still, the irony of Fendi calling its latest accessory the ‘So Sweet Charm’ is not lost.

Fashion and food—however complicated their relationship is—have always not been shy about their attraction to each other, even on the runway. Back in 2014, Karl Lagerfeld even created a Chanel-branded supermarket as set for autumn/winter season of that year (attendees reportedly rushed to the aisles to help themselves to the merchandise after the show). But the food obsession did not stop there. Also in the same season, Jeremy Scott’s McDonald’s uniforms were sent down the Moschino runway. More recent was Balenciaga’s chips bag from 2022 and even more current, Moschino (again!), with their ‘celery’ clutch. On the theme of candy, there is also Kate Spade’s unmistakable M&M bags. Could it be that the creators at these brands were hungry, and could not help but translate what they were snacking on during work hours into saleable articles of fashion. Food is oftentimes extra appetite-awakening than fashion. And more so, if brands hit, as Fendi has, the sweet spot.

Fendi ‘So Sweet’ charm, SGD595, is available at Fendi stores and online. Screen shot: Fendi