Some day bags make you dress around them. The Fendi By The Way is more accommodating: short handles, an elongated body and a zip across the top give it a recognisable shape without demanding a formal outfit. In the softer leather versions, that outline becomes pleasantly relaxed.
This Fendi By The Way bag review focuses on four choices: Soft Mini in black and light indigo, Selleria Medium in brown, and Soft Medium in light blue. The useful comparison is not simply dark versus pale. It is a compact daily edit versus more room, with different handle and strap details to consider.
Our assessment draws on product photographs, catalog specifications, retailer references and runway coverage. It is a desk-researched review rather than a carrying test. We are interested in how the bag could work in a real wardrobe, including the compromises that a smaller size brings.
TL;DR
| Category | The Take |
|---|---|
| Best For | Shoppers wanting a leather day bag with short handles and a relaxed outline |
| Versions Compared | Black and light-indigo Soft Mini; brown Selleria Medium; light-blue Soft Medium |
| Published Mini Dimensions | Approximately 20 × 12 × 9 cm, width × height × depth |
| Published Medium Dimensions | Approximately 29 × 17 × 13 cm, width × height × depth |
| Carry Options | Handheld and shoulder-strap options; check the exact strap and its fit |
| Main Trade-Off | The Mini is easier to keep compact; the Medium offers more room but invites a heavier load |
| Overall Verdict | Choose by your daily contents and preferred strap position, not size names alone |
The light-indigo Mini is our starting point for a compact everyday bag. Brown Medium makes more sense if you regularly carry several small essentials and dislike editing them down. Both need an actual packing check before becoming your one-bag solution.
Design: A Familiar Shape, Loosened Up
The By The Way occupies a useful place within Fendi’s bag wardrobe. It borrows something from a small travel bag, then brings the proportions back to everyday scale. Its identity comes through the construction rather than a large front clasp.
In the selected Soft Mini, the leather body gathers and folds around the upper corners. The handles sit close to the opening, while a long zip pull and hanging tag stop the front from feeling plain. Black makes those details more discreet; light indigo gives the same broad idea a cooler, softer-looking colour.
The brown Medium looks more substantial beside them. Its warm leather and prominent strap give it the feeling of a proper day bag, without the upright severity of a work tote. Pale blue changes the mood again, especially against darker clothes. These are related designs, not interchangeable specifications.
Leather and Construction
The selected mini listings identify Cuoio Romano leather, while the medium listings identify calf leather. The photographs show a textured surface rather than a mirror-smooth finish. That visual grain is part of the appeal, but it should not be read as proof of scratch resistance or a maintenance-free surface.
The black Soft Mini listing describes a leather-lined interior and palladium-finish metalware. Details such as lining and hardware finish belong to the exact reference: a shared family name does not mean every seasonal version uses the same combination.
Look closely at the stitching around the handles, the zip track and the attachment points for the strap. They are ordinary functional areas that matter as much as the front view. Selleria naming draws attention to leatherwork, but we would not assign a particular hand-stitch count or construction claim without matching documentation for that bag.
Size and What Fits
The published catalog dimensions are approximately 20 × 12 × 9 cm for the selected Soft Mini and 29 × 17 × 13 cm for the selected medium bags, in width, height and depth. These are exterior measurements, not a clear rectangular space inside.
For the Mini, think in terms of a phone, a slim cardholder, keys and a small touch-up item as a packing trial, not a guaranteed contents list. Phone size, case thickness and the shape of your keys all change the result. A full wallet or bulky sunglasses case may force you to choose between items.
| Daily Item | Soft Mini: Practical Approach | Medium: Practical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | Compare the phone and case with the opening | Check access as well as overall space |
| Wallet | Start with a slim cardholder | A larger wallet needs its own fit check |
| Keys and Lip Colour | Keep them compact and easy to reach | Consider a small pouch for loose items |
| Sunglasses | Test the actual case; do not assume it fits | A rigid case still takes significant room |
| Bottle or Tablet | Do not plan around either without testing | Exterior width does not establish bottle or tablet fit |
The Medium gives you more room to organise a normal day’s small belongings, but it is not automatically a laptop or commuting tote. Pack your usual contents, close the zip without pressure and check whether the bag still keeps the shape you liked. If it needs force to close, the larger size is not solving the whole problem.
Carrying Comfort: Check the Strap, Then the Load
The short handles give you a handheld option, while the shoulder strap changes how useful the bag is when your hands are occupied. The black Mini listing specifies an adjustable, removable knotted strap; the selected medium listings also describe detachable strap options. Confirm the exact arrangement rather than borrowing measurements from another colour.
The light-indigo Mini model photograph is helpful for scale, but it cannot tell you where the bag will land on your torso. Try the strap over a thin layer and your usual coat. If crossbody wear is essential, verify the available length and check the fit on your body before buying.
No verified weight comparison was available for these four references. A soft appearance does not establish a lighter bag, and the Medium can become less comfortable simply because you fill it. Test access, strap pressure and handle clearance with your own contents rather than judging an empty bag alone.
How to Style the Fendi By The Way
Fendi’s fall 2024 runway offers a useful reminder that a relatively compact bag need not be reserved for quiet clothes. Denim, contrasting boots and a small bag can work as a complete look. The bag supplies a controlled shape while the outfit does more of the colour work.
For everyday styling, we would begin more simply. Light indigo works beside a white shirt, navy trousers or khaki cotton. Brown Medium is an appealing companion to cream knitwear and dark denim. Black Mini is the least colour-dependent choice when your wardrobe already contains strong prints.
| Version | Outfit Starting Point | Styling Note |
|---|---|---|
| Black Soft Mini | A white shirt and dark straight-leg jeans | Let the long leather details remain visible |
| Light-Indigo Soft Mini | Khaki cotton or navy tailoring | Use the blue as a cool accent |
| Brown Selleria Medium | Cream knitwear and dark denim | Warm leather softens sharper separates |
| Light-Blue Soft Medium | Charcoal coat and simple trousers | A pale bag can break up darker clothing |
The By The Way selection is easiest to judge against clothes you already wear. A colour that needs a new coat, shoe and belt may be enjoyable, but it is a different purchase from an everyday bag. There is no need to match every leather accessory exactly.
Care: Keep the Leather and Hardware Separate
Follow the care guidance supplied with the exact leather and finish. Avoid assuming that a generic conditioner or waterproofing spray suits every Cuoio Romano or calf-leather version. Ask for reference-specific advice before applying a product to a pale surface or a leather-lined interior.
Keep cosmetics and pens contained, and avoid packing loose items that can leak against the lining. Be mindful of friction from dark denim or a heavily dyed coat against light blue or indigo leather. Grain does not remove the possibility of marks, colour transfer or wear at the corners.
When the bag is not in use, empty it, support its shape gently and store it in the supplied dust bag away from prolonged sun and heat. Do not pull the zip closed over an overfilled interior. Keep leather products off metal hardware, and seek professional guidance for stains rather than rubbing or soaking the surface.
Soft Mini or Medium?
The Mini and Medium solve different daily routines. The Mini works best when you already keep your belongings compact. The Medium is more forgiving if you carry several separate objects or prefer a pouch to a collection of loose small items.
| Feature | Soft Mini | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Size | About 20 × 12 × 9 cm | About 29 × 17 × 13 cm |
| Daily Approach | A deliberate edit of small essentials | More space for several everyday items |
| Visual Effect | Compact beside the body | A fuller horizontal shape |
| Main Risk | Running out of usable space | Filling extra space until the load feels heavy |
| Before Buying | Test the actual phone, wallet and case | Test the full load and preferred strap position |
Do not choose the Mini simply because it looks more delicate in a photograph. Equally, do not buy the Medium as insurance against every possible day. Lay out what you actually carry. The better size is the one that holds those items comfortably and still suits how you want to wear the bag.
Price and Value: Compare Like With Like
Published USD retailer offers provide useful benchmarks: approximately $2,060 for a blue By The Way Saddlery shoulder bag and $2,440 for a brown By The Way Soft Medium reference. These are retailer offers for named versions, not current official list prices or a universal range for the family.
They should not be assigned to the Soft Mini simply because the bags share a name. Compare the exact size, leather, colour and strap supplied. Check the final delivered total as well: an offer excluding duties and taxes is not the same thing as an all-inclusive price.
The strongest value argument is practical. You get a recognisable leather silhouette with more than one carrying option, rather than a purely decorative evening piece. Whether that is worth the outlay depends on how often you use it. We would not justify the purchase with a promise of resale performance or assume one leather finish will age better than another.
Which By The Way Should You Choose?
For a first compact By The Way, we would try light-indigo Soft Mini. The colour has enough character to feel considered without dominating an outfit. Choose black instead if you want fewer colour decisions, not because a dark finish guarantees easier care.
| Your Priority | Start Here | Check First |
|---|---|---|
| A Compact Everyday Accent | Light-indigo Soft Mini | Your usual contents and the strap position |
| A Dark, Flexible Colour | Black Soft Mini | Capacity and the exact knotted strap |
| More Room and Warm Leather | Brown Selleria Medium | The loaded weight and interior arrangement |
| A Pale Day Bag | Light-blue Soft Medium | Colour-transfer exposure and your preferred carry |
The brown Selleria Medium is our stronger starting point for someone who knows a mini will be restrictive. It has more visual substance, so try it with both a jacket and a lighter outfit. The light-blue Soft Medium offers the same published exterior dimensions in a cooler palette, with its own construction details to confirm.
If you need hands-free crossbody wear every day, settle the strap fit before settling the colour. If you need a device to fit, test the device. Those small checks matter more than choosing the version that looks most persuasive on someone else.
Shop the Edit
Four verified MAYFEYR By The Way listings: two Soft Mini colours and two medium choices. Each card links to the exact product shown.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Recognisable horizontal shape without a dominant front clasp | Related versions do not share every specification |
| Handheld and detachable-strap options in the selected edit | Crossbody fit needs reference-specific checking |
| Mini and medium sizes for different daily loads | Exterior dimensions do not guarantee useful packing space |
| Warm, cool and dark leather colours | Pale leather needs care around dyed clothing |
| Zip-top designs shown across the selected galleries | A soft body is not a substitute for a structured work tote |
Final Verdict
The By The Way is most convincing as a bag that fits into your day without making the outfit feel rigid. Short handles give it a neat frame; softer leather and long zip details keep it from looking overly formal. Its appeal is easy to understand without a loud front logo.
We would begin with light-indigo Soft Mini for a compact load, or brown Medium when everyday capacity matters more. Black offers a quieter colour choice, while pale blue is appealing against darker tailoring. The right answer still depends on the contents and strap fit you can confirm.
MAYFEYR Verdict: Worth considering for its relaxed take on a useful day-bag shape. Buy the size you will comfortably fill, check the exact leather and strap, and let the bag work with the wardrobe you have. The ease should come from how you use it, not just how it looks.
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