Fendi

The House of Fendi: Famous for Fur

When you think of Italian fashion, some big names come to mind: Prada, Versace, Armani, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and, of course, Fendi. Fendi began as a family business, and eventually came to be on the cutting edge of haute couture.

Adele Casagrande, founder of the House of Fendi, opened a small fur and leather goods shop in Rome in 1918. In 1925, Adele married Edoardo Fendi, and changed the name of her shop to reflect her own new surname. The Fendi's had a long list of loyal private clients, and in 1938 they opened a second shop in Rome.

In 1965, German designer Karl Lagerfeld joined Fendi, bringing them his superb sense of fashion and design expertise. He created the inverted "FF" logo, which would eventually become a worldwide status symbol.

Already well known for their treatments of luxurious fur accessories and garments, Lagerfeld and Fendi began to develop new and different ways to use fur. They made it lighter and less cumbersome, softer and much more wearable. They continued to find new ways to treat fur, including new methods in tanning and dying it, and created pieces out of hides that had never been used in the fashion industry.

With successful runway shows and couture collections, Fendi was becoming a leader in the world of fashion. Bloomingdale's was the first American company to sell Fendi in the US, and soon there were boutiques and licensed resellers across the globe.

The Fendi sisters had discovered that they couldn't find the exact garments they wanted their models to wear under their furs, and thus the Fendi ready-to-wear line was created. Fine fabrics and designs that were ahead of their time brought Fendi into the spotlight once again.

 
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It wasn't long before Lagerfeld was creating accessories to go with their clothing collections. Most famous for the brand is the baguette handbag, which is named after the French loaf of bread, carried under the arm. Fendi also created a line of clothing for the younger set, called Fendissime.

On the business side of the operation, Prada/LVMH bought up 51% of shares in Fendi in 1999. In 2001, Prada sold their shares to LVMH.

Nowadays, Maria Silvia Venturini Fendi, daughter of Anna Fendi, is head of the style department, and their chief designer is Karl Lagerfeld. The House of Fendi continues to be one step ahead of the rest, with cutting edge designs and bold accessories.

Lagerfeld's latest creation is an iPod carrying case called the Juke Box. It seems he is obsessed with the portable music players, and had to design a carryall for his collection. The Juke Box has room for twelve iPods, with a discreet outlet at the side for the earphone cords. Clad in shimmering gold, the Juke Box retails for $1,500.

There are currently over 100 Fendi stores worldwide, with a flagship store on New York City's trendy Fifth Avenue. Although their boutiques are scattered across the globe, Fendi remains faithfully stationed in Rome.

Fendi is all about high fashion and drama, with innovative creations and collections that never fail to impress and surprise the fashion industry. Above all, they continue to produce high quality and luxurious furs for the fashion-loving masses. Though she died in 1978 at the age of 81, Adele Fendi has created a fashion empire that has exceeded all expectations.

By Carrie Grosvenor