Fendi: The Italian fashion house celebrates 100 years of craftsmanship

Fendi: 100 years of Italian elegance from the family business

One hundred years ago, Adele and Edoardo Fendi founded a small fur and leather goods shop on Rome's Via del Plebiscito. What began as an artisanal workshop soon developed into a brand that stands for a special elegance and dedication to Italian craftsmanship – and continues to do so today. After Edoardo's death in 1960, the couple's five daughters – Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla, and Alda – took over the management of the company in 1964. They led Fendi as a matriarch, shaping the brand with their creative vision and entrepreneurial spirit.

Another milestone in the brand's history was the appointment of Karl Lagerfeld as creative director in 1965. In one of the longest designer-maison partnerships in fashion history—spanning over 50 years—Lagerfeld revolutionized the brand. He introduced the iconic double "F" logo and transformed fur from a traditional material into a fashion statement.

Silvia Venturini Fendi , Anna's daughter, is now creative director for accessories, men's wear, and children's wear. Following Kim Jones' departure last year (a successor for the women's collection has not yet been announced), Silvia was also tasked with designing the anniversary collection—but who better than her? After all, she's been the embodiment of Fendi since she was born. She was just six years old when she posed for the Fall/Winter 1967/68 collection—Karl Lagerfeld's second and one of the first in fashion history to break away from gender stereotypes.

Silvia wanted to commemorate this important moment by having her grandchildren open the anniversary show: Dardo and Tazio. They are the children of her daughter Delfina Delettrez Fendi, who is responsible for the house's jewelry and was Jones' muse. They wore the same dresses in which their grandmother had been photographed more than fifty years ago. "The idea that Dardo and Tazio would open a large gate at the beginning of my last show was inspired by my memory of the door to the studio in Via Borgognona (the former headquarters, editor's note) . When I was a child, it seemed enormous to me. Walking through it felt like entering a wonderland. So my grandchildren consciously took on a similar role," explains Silvia Venturini Fendi. As the conversation continues, she repeatedly emphasizes the importance of solidarity, heritage, and Rome as a location. You can see that the family history here isn't just part of a good PR story; Rather, it is still an essential part of the DNA – like in hardly any other fashion house

VOGUE: When you're so closely connected to the style and legacy of the brand you're designing for, how do you approach the theme of an anniversary collection?

Silvia Venturini Fendi: About emotions! I didn't want to create a shabby retrospective; I didn't want to look analytically—I wanted to look into the archives with heart. So it was less about a kind of documentation than about personal memories. Like a dress my mother wore. Or a fur coat belonging to my aunt Carla. This kind of attitude—also toward one's own heritage—and the heart and soul that goes into it: I call it "Fendiness." As I began to think about the collection, I quickly realized it was about more than an anniversary. My maxim was that the guests at the show should love Fendi as much as I do; that people would be fascinated by it not only now, but also for the next hundred years.

When did you know you were successful?

When I read the letters and comments about the collection, I knew I had met my expectations. But I was especially touched by the hugs from my mother and my aunt Paola. Both are very harsh critics.

When did you join the company?