FENDI

Fendi is a renowned Italian fashion label that is known for its luxurious handbags and signature double “F” logo. Karl Lagerfeld helped to bring Fendi to the masses and showcased the stunning potential of certain materials. Whether it’s the brand’s iconic handbags or ornate belts, Fendi always stands out from the crowd.

The founders, Adele and Edoardo Fendi, opened their fashion house in Rome in 1925. The brand made high-end leather goods from its inception. Over the years, Adele and Edoardo’s five daughters have run Fendi. In 1965, Karl Lagerfeld, a well-known fashion designer, was hired as the creative director. Karl Lagerfeld invented the signature “F” motif for Fendi, which stands for “Fun Furs”. The motif became popular in the 1960s, when fur was still a popular fashion item. Lagerfeld kept Fendi’s garments affordable by turning lower-quality furs into something customers wanted to buy. He also helped to launch the brand’s artisan collections in the 1970s. In the 1980s, Fendi was a luxury fashion house with a global presence. The fashion house designed uniforms for Rome’s police department and rolled out men’s and women’s fragrances, both of which helped cement its place at the forefront of luxury fashion.

The Fendi Baguette, created by Silvia Venturini Fendi, was a revolutionary handbag that helped expand the Fendi brand. The acquisition of Fendi by LVMH Moet-Hennesy and Prada in 1999, put LVMH’s chairman Bernard Arnault and Prada chairman Patrizio Bertelli in charge of the brand. However, the third-generation Fendi sisters kept management control. Silvia Venturini Fendi eventually took over the artistic direction of the accessories line and menswear line. This ensured that the brand’s roots stayed firmly connected to the family, while still allowing for creative expression.

In 2020, Kim Jones joined Fendi as the artistic director of haute couture, ready-to-wear, and fur collections for women. He is working with Fendi, while remaining at Dior Men’s concurrently. Fendi’s womenswear collections are actually the designer’s first foray into the category. Jones is the first person outside the Fendi family to join the brand in a prominent role in a long time. Fendi plans to use fur-fringed clothing as a material, but is looking to be more sustainable in their waste production.