Introduction #
Some bags get remembered for a logo. The Fendi By The Way gets remembered for a walk. When it closed out Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2014 show, Karl Lagerfeld had already set the mood with a fur robot, glossy quilted coats and a soundtrack built around Billie Holiday’s “Violets for Your Furs.” The By The Way arrived as the quiet payoff of that Nordic, sport-meets-sophistication story — a structured little bag that models carried like a clutch but that was, underneath the styling, a genuinely wearable three-way bag with a top handle and a cross-body strap.
A decade on, the By The Way has settled into an odd but useful place in the resale market: not as hyped as the Peekaboo, not as collectible as the Baguette, but frequently the smarter buy for someone who wants Fendi craftsmanship without Fendi-flagship pricing. This piece breaks down what the bag actually is, what it costs today, how it holds up after real use, and how it stacks up against the two Fendi bags most people compare it to before they buy.
Key Points #
Origin and design brief #
The By The Way was designed as a transitional piece for Fendi’s FW14 collection — a bag meant to move between runway prop and daily carry. Its defining trait is versatility: the same bag that closed a show in a model’s hand converts into a shoulder or cross-body piece the moment you attach the strap. That built-in flexibility is the reason it’s stayed in circulation on the resale market long after the original retail run ended.
Silhouette and hardware #
The By The Way has a trapeze-shaped, structured body with a flat base, a rigid top handle, and a flap-over top secured with a zip closure rather than a branded clasp. Hardware is typically gold-tone (with gunmetal and mixed-tone versions in some seasons), including a leather-wrapped zip pull, a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap with metal clip hardware, and protective metal studs on the base. It’s a quieter hardware story than the Peekaboo’s FF push-lock or the Baguette’s clasp — deliberately so.
Materials and craftsmanship #
Small By The Way bags were produced primarily in calfskin, with saffiano-textured leather and limited exotic-skin (python, ostrich) versions in some seasons. The interior is typically fabric or leather-lined, with a zip pocket and slip pockets sized for a phone and cards. Fendi’s leatherwork on this bag is genuinely solid — clean edge painting, dense stitching around the handle stress points, and a structured base that resists slouching even years in. Where quality control varies most is the zip pull leather wrap, which is the first component to show wear.
Sizing and capacity #
The small size runs roughly 24 cm wide, 16-17 cm tall, and 10 cm deep — small enough to qualify as an evening bag, but with enough structure to hold a phone, card case, lipstick, compact and keys without gaping. It’s not a bag for a tablet or a water bottle. Think “essentials only,” which is exactly what it was designed for.
Price and resale value #
At original retail, the small leather By The Way launched in the $1,900-$2,700 range depending on leather and season, with exotic-skin versions well above that. On the resale market today, well-kept small leather examples typically trade between $700 and $1,400, with exotic skins and rare colorways holding value noticeably better. Because the style was discontinued from mainline collections, prices haven’t cratered the way some replaced-and-forgotten bags do — but it also isn’t appreciating the way an Hermès Kelly does. It’s a bag you buy to use, not to flip.
Analysis and Insights #
Why the silhouette still works #
Structured trapeze bags with a flat base age well because they don’t rely on trend-driven proportions. The By The Way’s boxiness is the same reason a Kelly or a Céline Box bag stays wearable a decade later — the shape reads as considered rather than seasonal. If you’re building a capsule bag wardrobe rather than chasing whatever’s trending on a “It bag” list, this is a legitimate long-term piece.
Where it genuinely falls short #
Honesty matters more than hype here. The strap drop on the cross-body configuration is short on most examples, sitting higher on the body than a lot of buyers expect from marketing photos — try it on before you buy pre-owned, or ask a seller for a worn shot with the strap. The rigid top handle, while structurally sound, makes it a two-handed bag to open one-handed while standing (the flap-and-zip combination isn’t as fast as a simple snap). And because Fendi hasn’t kept this style in constant production, sourcing replacement hardware or a matching strap if the original is damaged is harder than it would be for an actively-produced bag.
Authenticating a pre-owned By The Way #
This is the part most buying guides skip, and it’s the part that actually protects your money.
- Stitching density: Authentic By The Way bags have tight, even stitching with no visible glue residue at the handle base or strap attachments. Loose or irregular stitching is the fastest tell on counterfeits.
- Zip pull leather wrap: The leather-wrapped zip pull should be neatly finished with no exposed adhesive. This is a commonly rushed detail on fakes.
- Interior lining and stamping: Check the interior stamp for font weight and spacing consistency — Fendi’s serial/date stamps follow a specific format that’s frequently mis-proportioned on counterfeits.
- Hardware weight: Genuine hardware has real heft. Lightweight, tinny-feeling clips or studs are a red flag regardless of how good the leather looks.
- Base studs and feet: Authentic base studs are evenly spaced and flush-mounted; crooked or loosely attached studs suggest a non-authentic or low-quality build.
If you’re buying from a marketplace rather than a dedicated [[[[pre-owned luxury](/buying-guides/luxury-handbag-trends-2024/)](/buying-guides/replica-vs-pre-owned-bags-smarter-buy/)](/buying-guides/fendi-peekaboo-python-bag-buying-guide/)](/buying-guides/replica-vs-pre-owned-bags/) retailer, ask for close-up photos of all five points above before paying. A reputable pre-owned platform that authenticates in-house (rather than relying on seller claims) is worth the modest premium over a peer-to-peer marketplace, especially on a discontinued style where fewer buyers have hands-on reference experience.
Fendi By The Way Bag: Full Size Comparison Chart #
| Size | Approx. Dimensions (W x H x D) | Approx. Capacity | Best For | Typical Resale Range (Leather) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | 20 x 13 x 7 cm | Phone, cards, lip balm | Evening, cross-body only | $600-$1,000 |
| Small | 24 x 16-17 x 10 cm | Phone, cardholder, compact, keys | Daily essentials, day-to-evening | $700-$1,400 |
| Medium | 30 x 20 x 12 cm | Phone, wallet, sunglasses, small pouch | Work-to-dinner, light daily use | $900-$1,700 |
| Large | 36 x 24 x 14 cm | Full daily carry, small tablet possible | Everyday tote alternative | $1,000-$1,900 |
Figures reflect typical listings from pre-owned platforms and general secondary-market ranges; condition, leather type, hardware finish and included accessories (dust bag, strap, authenticity card) all move a specific bag up or down within these bands.
Real Owner Review: One Month of Wear #
I carried a small black calfskin By The Way for four straight weeks, rotating it as my main bag for work, dinners and one long weekend trip, to see how the “runway bag” claim holds up against actual use.
Week one was mostly about recalibrating what fits. Coming from a slouchier shoulder bag, the structure took getting used to — items don’t shift or settle, so packing it is more deliberate. Phone, cardholder, keys and a lip product filled it appropriately; anything more felt forced.
Week two surfaced the strap issue mentioned earlier. Worn cross-body, the bag sits higher on the torso than I expected, closer to a bust-level position than a hip-level one. It works fine styled with a blazer or coat, less so with a fitted dress where you want the bag to sit lower.
Week three was the wear-and-tear check. The corners and base, being structured and studded, showed zero scuffing despite being set down on restaurant floors and a train platform bench. The zip pull’s leather wrap started to show the faintest edge fraying — worth noting since it’s the one component that isn’t reinforced.
Week four, the top handle proved to be the unsung strength of the bag. Carried by hand for a full day of errands, it held its shape and didn’t dig into the wrist the way thinner handles do, thanks to the rigid internal structure.
Overall: it earns its reputation as a structured, low-maintenance bag that photographs better in motion than it necessarily wears in a fitted cross-body position. If your daily carry skews toward top-handle or shoulder wear over strict cross-body, it performs better than the runway framing suggests.
Fendi By The Way vs. Peekaboo vs. Baguette #
These three get cross-shopped constantly because they represent three different eras and philosophies within Fendi’s handbag lineup, even though casual shoppers often lump them together as “the Fendi bags.”
| Feature | By The Way | Peekaboo | Baguette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debut | FW14 | 2009 | 1997 |
| Silhouette | Structured trapeze | Structured, split-compartment tote/satchel | Slim, elongated underarm shape |
| Signature hardware | Zip-and-flap, minimal branding | FF twist-lock closure | Varies by edition, often a flap clasp |
| Versatility | Top handle + detachable strap | Top handle + detachable/adjustable strap | Mostly shoulder/underarm, limited cross-body |
| Capacity (small sizes) | Moderate, evening-to-day | Higher, splits into two compartments | Lowest, evening-focused |
| Resale strength | Moderate, steady | Strong, consistently in demand | Strong on rare/collab prints |
| Best for | Buyers wanting understated structure | Buyers wanting a recognizable It-bag with real capacity | Buyers building a collectible, print-driven wardrobe |
The practical difference comes down to intent. The Peekaboo is the safer resale bet and the more overtly “Fendi” bag thanks to the FF lock, which also means it’s more copied and requires more careful authentication. The Baguette is less about daily practicality and more about collecting specific prints and collaborations — value lives in rarity, not utility. The By The Way sits in between: quieter branding, genuinely useful three-way carry, and a price point that’s usually gentler than either of the other two for comparable condition. If you want the most “bag for the money” of the three, it’s the By The Way. If you want the strongest resale confidence, it’s the Peekaboo.
Conclusion #
The Fendi By The Way is easy to underrate because it doesn’t lean on a signature clasp or a print archive to make its case. What it offers instead is a well-built, structured shape that transitions genuinely well between hand-carry and cross-body, at a resale price that hasn’t been inflated by hype. It’s not a bag that will appreciate like a Kelly, and the short strap drop is a real limitation worth testing before you buy pre-owned. But for a buyer who wants Fendi’s leatherworking quality in a size that suits day-to-evening life, and who’s willing to authenticate carefully given its discontinued status, it remains one of the more sensible entries into the brand.
FAQ #
Is the Fendi By The Way still made? It’s no longer a mainline production style, so most availability today is through the resale and pre-owned market. This makes condition and authentication more important than they’d be for a currently-produced bag.
What size fits a phone and everyday essentials comfortably? The small size is the practical sweet spot — enough room for a phone, cardholder, compact and keys, without the bulk of the medium or large sizes.
Does the By The Way hold its value? It holds value moderately well, particularly in classic black calfskin or exotic skins, but it isn’t a strong appreciating asset the way an Hermès Kelly or Birkin can be. Buy it for use, treat any resale value as a bonus.
What’s the biggest authentication red flag on this style? Loose or uneven stitching around the handle and strap attachment points, combined with a lightweight feel to the hardware, are the two most reliable tells on counterfeits.
How does it compare to the Peekaboo for a first Fendi bag? The Peekaboo has stronger brand recognition and resale demand, but the By The Way is usually more affordable pre-owned and just as well made — a reasonable starting point if you’re prioritizing craftsmanship over instant recognizability.
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