Brand story : Fendi

Fendi’s story began in Rome during the inter-war years when the family set up a small workshop in Via Plebiscito. They started off by producing leather handbags and fur accessories. This was an auspicious time for developing luxury brands and Adele and Edoardo Fendi’s talents were soon recognised throughout Italy and beyond.

But it was only after the Second World War that Fendi established itself as a fashion brand in its own right, when the couple’s five daughters, Paola, Anna, Franca, Alda and Carla joined their adventure. The girls re-energised the collections by creating a younger and less traditional style. In 2001, the LVMH group acquired the house. It has, nevertheless, remained a family- run business which is now managed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the founders’ grand-daughter.

In 1965, the Fendi sisters took on a young German stylist and appointed him brand Creative Director. His name was Karl Lagerfeld. This decision would change Fendi’s history forever. As soon as he arrived, he began developing and transforming furs into highly creative and desirable fashion pieces. He designed the double F monogram which stands for Fun Fur.

This faux fur is a playful element that features across the entire brand’s collections today. In 1977, he launched a collection of sophisticated, contemporary, ready-to-wear pieces for both men and women which enjoyed instant success. Under Karl Lagerfeld’s direction, Fendi became an international modern luxury brand, producing extremely creative fur pieces, (dyed with vibrant colours, shaved or assembled like patchwork). His work was often the subject of controversy, notably with certain launches, such as the Haute Fourrure collections. While he paid little attention to his critics, the designer did eventually decide to include faux fur across all Fendi collections.

Designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi in 1997, the Baguette was a small bag, carried under the arm like the French carry a baguette and was the first model to kick start the it-bag generation. This was a far cry from the minimalist styles of the ‘90s. Right from the beginning, the bag was produced in a variety of different materials, patterns and increasingly vibrant colours, quickly becoming a collectable piece. Yes, we’re talking baguette mania. The design has since been adapted into over 1000 different models, often launched as limited editions.

The 2018 Spring Summer show was one of Karl Lagerfeld’s last events before his death. He and Silvia Venturini decided to relaunch the Baguette especially for the event and offered new colour and format variations including a model with a shoulder, in keeping with the latest trends. More than 20 years after its creation, the Baguette has yet again become one of the most popular items among fashion lovers and is one of our community’s most sought-after pieces.