ROME — “Designers generally dive deep into a brand’s archives. I looked at my family photo albums,” said Silvia Venturini Fendi with a smile. And so she should, as the legitimate heir of the Fendi fashion brand spearheading the celebrations of its centenary this year.
Reflecting this very personal message, the designer conceived a unique accordion invitation to Fendi’s coed show on Wednesday — a booklet reproducing a number of photos taken over the years that she is sharing with guests. One portrays her as a child model in a campaign for fall 1966, another is a group photo of the Fendi sisters — Paola, Franca, Carla, Anna and Alda, daughters of founder Adele Casagrande Fendi — in the Via Borgognona atelier.
Speaking from the Fendi headquarters in Rome’s Palazzo della Civiltà, Venturini Fendi was flanked by chief executive officer Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou, in his first interview since being named to the post last June. They admitted to the excitement about the year ahead and the show, which marks the reopening of the Via Andrea Solari Spazio Fendi headquarters in Milan.
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A Larger Runway
Doubling in space to cover almost 18,000 square feet, the expanded volume of the catwalk area will allow the company “to express the brand in a way that is even more creative, and to welcome more guests,” compared to the previous elongated shape, Angeloglou said.
The new headquarters, which maintains its industrial identity and includes the atelier and offices, was further expanded by annexing a new block and was designed by Fendi’s in-house team of architects.
In addition to the modularity of the elements, Venturini Fendi said “ a constant research of natural light was the focal point of the renovation, and the neutral show space is like a blank canvas allowing us to surprise our guests each season.”
Continuing the partnership between Fendi and Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro, the location still hosts the environmental work “Ingresso nel labirinto [Entry in the labyrinth]” with the addition of two costume-works created by the artist that are now displayed in the entrance hall: “Costume di Didone “ and “Costume di Creonte.”
Unfolding the invitation to the show and looking at the photos, the designer said “the history of Fendi and of the family are intertwined. There is my family history but also, since 2000, professionally, I have an extended family with the [parent LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton] group spanning more than 25 years — it’s almost the same time with each. I have so many memories, and each collection, each piece is more than archival, it reminds me of other, much more personal moments.”
Strong Bonds
She underscored the strength of the relationships built over the years, the “decades with Karl [Lagerfeld], the longtime loyalty of the team, that have worked and trained here and gone on to be successful, and they always talk about Fendi with affection. It’s a special connection, this sense of sharing, and we’ve maintained solid relations with all.”
Designers who have worked with Venturini Fendi range from Frida Giannini and Maria Grazia Chiuri to Pierpaolo Piccioli, Alessandro Michele and Kim Jones, who exited his role as artistic director of haute couture, ready-to-wear and fur collections for women last October after four years.
Venturini Fendi and Angeloglou declined any comment on the ongoing speculation about a possible successor to Jones. “Our focus now is to present a beautiful show and to celebrate the brand’s milestone,” the executive said.
Venturini Fendi, whose title is artistic director of accessories and menswear collections, is firmly in place and clearly concentrated on the fall 2025 collection with the goal to “present a contemporary and comprehensive vision of the brand” through a coed lineup, she said. “The borders are increasingly thinner and blurred. I think this format is a modern and logical way to bring the brand forward.”
In fact, she pointed out that “there is absolutely nothing nostalgic” about the collection, and that she was not revisiting previous designs. “It’s all new,” she said. “There is nothing better than celebrating the past through the present and the future. If I had to name this collection, it would be flashback and fast forward, three Fs,” she said, in a re-elaboration of the signature FF logo.
Angeloglou agreed.
“In such a special moment, it was the most obvious thing to do to underscore the importance of the centenary. There is pride and responsibility in this celebration. Not many brands can rely on such a rich history,” he pointed out. “When I joined, when I spoke with the team, I thought of [adopting] one of the many Fendi codes, the Janus god [depicted with two faces], because of its Roman identity, looking at the past and at the future at the same time.”
He touted the “incredible patrimony of the brand, which Silvia knows and represents better than anyone else, projecting it into the future, staying true to its values, with bold creativity in the use of materials and craftsmanship. This is what we want to express with the centenary and the show in particular.”
Venturini Fendi opted for the coed format once before, for the spring 2021 collection, before Jones’ arrival and following the height of the pandemic. But she added that “there is no absolute rule,” and that reverting to separate lineups could happen again in the future.
“On this occasion, since we have such a strong identity, a coed collection is a way to show the real DNA of the brand, our craftsmanship, our expertise with leather goods and materials that not everyone may be familiar with around the world,” Angeloglou said.
“I think there is a strong desire to know the history of the brand more in depth,” concurred Venturini Fendi. “One hundred years have flown by but certain codes and values are still the same, and I tried to go back to our Fendiness, which must be in everything we do.”
“Fendi’s Difference”
“I call it the Fendifferenza [Fendi’s difference]. We need to be focused on what differentiates us and makes us unique,” Angeloglou said. “We have this asset and we have to capitalize it. We should make the most of it with the show and the centenary; it’s the perfect moment to highlight our identity.”
Fendi is also aiming to convey this message with the inauguration of its new Palazzo at the end of September, a new sprawling flagship on Milan’s Via Montenapoleone. “It will be the most beautiful retail expression of the brand,” Angeloglou said. “We are strengthening our Roman identity, there will be more art works on display, and there will be an even warmer atmosphere, and a fur atelier.”
Above the four retail floors, two levels will be occupied by a new Langosteria restaurant in a partnership with restaurateur Enrico Buonocore and investment vehicle Archive, established by Moncler chairman and CEO Remo Ruffini and led by his son Pietro. “It will become a landmark in Milan that will offer a special experience,” enthused Angeloglou of Palazzo Fendi, which will also have a terrace overlooking the city.
Fendi’s recent store openings include a unit in Miami’s Design District and one in Madrid’s Calle Ortega y Gasset. In the first half of 2025, the company will reopen its restored store in Shanghai’s IFC mall and units in Beijing’s Sanlitun and in Cancun, Mexico, are also in the pipeline in the period.
“However, the message is that what is most important is the elevated quality of our network, this is my number-one priority, which is why we are investing in the renovation and update of existing stores,” the executive said. The store concept is conceived by the brand’s in-house team.
Additionally, the company is planning its “World of Fendi” events for its top clients, when garments and accessories are available made to order, but Angeloglou said “we decided to make them even more powerful and a strong experience” this year. They are planned for Seoul, Miami, Suzhou, China, and Rome. “For the first time, we are thinking of opening them to the public, offering special moments,” showcasing, for example, the reedition of 10 storied Fendi bags.
“Each bag will represent a decade,” said Venturini Fendi, citing for example a bag from the 1940s that inspired the Peekaboo. “It’s a way to talk about us through the objects, to show our craft and how these are not simply ephemeral objects.”
Fendi is also planning a high jewelry event in July. The collections are designed by Silvia’s daughter Delfina Delettrez Fendi and Angeloglou praised the “exceptional job” she is doing with the category.
Asked why she believes Fendi has endured through the years and able to reach such a milestone, Venturini Fendi said: “I think it’s a company made by people that have a great willpower. Each day is like the first day, we never feel we’ve arrived, and our trajectory shows this. Each step is a consequence of a previous one and we never rest on our laurels, we always question ourselves.”
Smiling, she added, “I am always somewhat dissatisfied, which drives us to prove the value of what we do and to be relevant. In my mind, when I think of our customers, they turn to fashion with an intelligent approach, knowing that behind an object is the life of people, that each object has a history. Customers want to know who made it and how it was made. We are artisans of fashion. I saw how the women of my family work, Karl was idolized, there is an absolute respect for creativity.”
Angeloglou concurred, saying that “people see this authenticity and boldness in Fendi, and this desire to always be innovative.”
He admitted the global context is challenging for the industry, but that “it has an enormous advantage because it forces us to look at who we are and what customers expect from us and to go deep in our vocation and expression of identity. The growth is not automatic, and customers prefer authentic brands that offer something different and create value. Personally I think it is up to us to determine the success.”
Less reliant on mulling over the market outlook and the ups and downs of a specific region, Angeloglou believes “our job is to create desirability because this industry does not stem from a need of the customers, that’s the beauty of our work and that’s what makes it more difficult, because it all depends on our creative capacity and to generate these emotions. This is what I communicate to our team — don’t underestimate your power and capacity to create success, which comes from creativity but also group dynamics. We’ve worked on ways to work and collaborate, the talent is immense here, what counts is the capacity of working together for success. I am very proud and happy. I see the results so I am optimistic about the future.”
