The history of the brand Fendi (Fendi). Carla Fendi: "I'm always guided by impulses New office in the Colosseum Square

Adele and Eduardo Fendi, a young Italian couple, were engaged in the production of bags and accessories made of leather and fur. In the first half of the 20th century in post-war Europe, people needed beautiful things that would inspire joy and hope. Several well-known berendas that operate to this day were founded at that time. In 1925, Fendi appeared, which was distinguished by products self made High Quality. The best materials used by the Fendi spouses to create their handbags and leather goods, which soon brought them unprecedented popularity. Due to the fact that things were going very well, the first Fendi boutique was opened on Via del Plebizio shortly after the start of work. The Italian nobility considered it their duty to visit the Fendi on del Plebizio store.

Success outside of Rome

Fandy worked even harder despite the already high demand. Fendi bags and accessories began to be talked about outside of Rome, and in 1932 a boutique was opened in Venice. The owners of Fendi products were already considered the owners of an exquisite sense of taste and style. This is how the small workshop of the Fendi spouses turned into a large-scale production of bags and leather goods.

Adele and Eduardo Fendi had five daughters who shared the responsibilities of running the firm and continued its development. Fendi gradually expanded its range and style, taking more and more steps in its development, which was no longer lightning fast as in the early years of its existence.

Karl Lagerfeld and Fendi

Karl Lagerfeld was a young designer in the mid-60s who came to Fendi to take the brand to the next level. The first thing the designer did was to change the approach to the production of fur coats, which before him were quite bulky and heavy. Thanks to Lagerfeld, we know these fur outerwear as light and comfortable. In 1966, the first collection of Fendi fur coats from Karl Lagerfeld appeared, which made the brand one of the leaders in European fur production, and provided the designer with a positive reputation for years to come. In addition, it was Karl Lagerfeld who designed the Fendi logo, which is recognizable today and consists of two letters F.

Already in the late 60s, Fendi fur coats went into mass production, securing Fendi's position in this market. Fendi was true to the idea: "Good fur coats for a reasonable price." And within a few years, Fendi entered the international level by opening boutiques in Japan and the United States.

Fendi is not only valuable fur...

In 1977, Fendi took it to the next level with the introduction of the ready-to-wear collection. The public was delighted with the new style from an already familiar brand, and by the mid-80s you could buy lighters, glasses, ties, pens, gloves and other things from Fendi. 1978 marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the brand and 20 years of Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi. This event was an exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome, where you could not only learn about the history of the brand, but also see the process of fine workmanship in the production of Fendi products.

In 1988, the first women's fragrance "Fendi" appeared, and a year later, the men's "Fendi Uomo".

The second life of Fendi

In the early 90s, Fendi decided to take a step back, then to make a leap forward. By reviving the Selleria line, which was designed by Adele Fendi, in a limited edition and without deviating from the traditional ways of making leather products, Fendi again made itself known in the upper strata of society.

French baguette in Italian

In 1977, Silvia Venturini Fendi, creative director of Fendi, designed the Baguette handbag, shaped like the French bread of the same name. A miniature handbag that can be carried under the arm has been a huge success. Soon it was released in 600 color variations using a wide variety of materials. In 2005, the popular Spy handbag came out, and another one a year later famous model handbags at Fendi.

Fendi in the movies

The popularity of Fendi grew not only because of the fact that it was talked about. Fendi clothing has also appeared in famous films such as La Traviata, The Godfather 3, Once Upon a Time in America and others. In 1990, a menswear line was launched.

Fendi today

Since 1999, Fendi has been owned by the largest luxury corporation, LVMH. In 2005, Fendi turned eighty, and in honor of this date, the Fendi Palace, Palazzo Fendi, was opened in Rome, which houses the studio and the largest Fendi store.

In 2007, Fendi held a fashion show on the Great Wall of China. The catwalk is 88 meters long and 88 models were called to celebrate the lucky number "8" in China. In 2008, 22 Fendi stores were opened in Paris. The event was marked by a performance by popular singer Amy Winehouse and celebrity guests of honor. Today, Fendi has more than 160 stores in 25 countries.

The company was founded in 1918 by Adele Casagrande as a leather and fur shop in Via del Plebizio, Rome.

So in 1925, Eduardo Fendi and Adele Fendi founded their first store, which was engaged in the sale of branded products, characterized by high quality and handmade finishes. Their products very quickly became popular and after some time began to be in great demand.

Carier start
In 1932, the couple opened their own fur salon. Traditional for Fendi, high quality and elegant style made their fur coats a real standard of Italian style. After Eduardo and Adele left their business, five daughters took control of the family business. famous couple. Paola Fendi was in charge of fur dressing, Anna Fendi developed new collections for the company, Alda Fendi became the commercial director of the company, Carla Fendi promoted the new development strategy of the Fendi fashion house, and Franca Fendi specialized in public relations.

finest hour
In 1955, the fur and leather collection by Paola and Anna was presented for the first time. The public was delighted with the new collections and unanimously recognized the incomparable talent of Fendi's daughters. But at that time the brand was known only in the domestic market, which was clearly not enough for the new owners of the company. In order to start moving into the international fashion arena, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld was invited to the Fendi Fashion House as creative director. Over time, the correctness of the choice was repeatedly confirmed.

Gradually the glory of the Fashion House Fendi scattered all over the world. Karl Lagerfeld completely revised fashion policy, changing the concept of all his collections. Previously, fur coats were bulky and not very comfortable, now they have turned into lightweight models with a rich color palette and unusual combinations. various kinds fur. At the same time, they have not lost the luxury and splendor inherent in Fendi. Karl was an innovator, he regularly introduced new elements to the design of models, and this favorably distinguished the products of the Fashion House from everything that was presented on the market of that time.

The creative union of Lagerfeld and Fendi was also very successful because Paola provided Carl with a huge range of new and unusual materials, the creation of which was the result of the latest achievements in the manufacturing industry. Thus, the fashion designer was not limited and could represent a variety of variations from different materials, so some of the features of certain models are based on the unusual characteristics of the materials from which they are created.

In the early seventies, Karl Lagerfeld developed models of the class pret-a-porte for the new women's line of the Fashion House, besides, at the same time, he begins to create accessories. Thus, already in the eighties, the range of activities of the company Fendi expanded significantly. Previously, the target audience of the company was represented by wealthy people whose age exceeded thirty years, but now Fendi completely different buyers were needed, and the Fashion House launched a youth line called Fendissimo, together with her, the company presented a new line Fendi Casa engaged in the production of furniture products.

In 1984 Fendi begins to produce sunglasses, in 1985 he presents his first perfume line, the flagship of which was the fragrance, called Fendi. Five years later, in 1990, it received new perfume Fantasia, after some time in 1996 appears Life Essence, in 1998 the fashion house releases perfume Theorema, and in 2001 the fragrance was introduced to the world Theorema Uomo. The range of the company also includes other flavors that have appeared at one time or another.

In 1990, sixty-five years after its founding, the company shows the public its first men's collection. In the 90s Fashion House Fendi was bought by companies Prada and LVMH in general, the owners of the company kept only forty-nine percent of the shares. However, after some time Prada ceded their stake to the French concern, making it a full-fledged owner Fendi.

In our time, the post of a designer developing lines women's clothing, still occupied by Karl Lagerfeld, Silvia Fendi is responsible for men's clothing and accessories collections in the company.

Fashion house Fendi actively expanding its influence, penetrating into new markets and developing new countries, today you can find more than a hundred branded boutiques of the company around the globe. One of the latest was a store in New York, located on Fifth Avenue. Experts say that in the future Fendi waiting for active growth, promising worthy profits. And it seems Fendi will never cease to delight the world community with new collections and original ideas

Italian fashion designer Carla Fendi, who for many years determined the development strategy of the world famous Fendi group, died late on June 19 in Rome at the age of 81.

This is stated in the message of the publication Le Repubblica.

Fendi recently suffered a severe lung disease. She was discharged from the hospital and returned to her Roman residence at the Palazzo Ruspoli, where she spent the last days of her life.

As you know, Carla is one of the five sisters who brought the Italian fashion house Fendi to the world level.

Note that the history of the brand begins back in 1918, when Adele Casagrande, Carla's mother, founded a small atelier and a leather goods store. She later marries Eduardo Fendi and changes the name of the store to Fendi.

After Adele's death in 1978, each of the sisters received their own corner of the empire, over which it was necessary to establish control. Paola (born 1931) worked in furs, Anna (born 1933) in leather goods, Franca (born 1935) in charge of customer relations, Carla (born 1937) in charge of overall business coordination, and finally Alda (born 1940), the youngest of the sisters, was in charge of sales.

"We are like five fingers of one hand. Our mother said that each of us has a function," Carla once shared to emphasize the importance of each sister's participation in the success of the company.

Carla Fendi studied a lot and accumulated knowledge from different industries. In fact, she was engaged in all the current affairs of the fashion house. Particular attention was paid to the company's development strategy and its penetration into foreign markets (primarily in the United States of America).

The invitation to the fashion house of the young became one of the key decisions of Carla and her sisters. For many years, Lagerfeld remained the art director of the Fendi brand. In 1966, it was Lagerfeld who came up with the company's famous logo - two letters F, one of which is upside down.

In the 1980s, Fendi became the world leader in leather and fur products.

Today, the company is part of the LVMH holding - Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy S.A. The Fendi network has more than 160 stores in 25 countries.

In recent years, Carla has been involved in charitable projects and the arts, including restoration.

In 2007, Fendi founded a foundation for the development of artistic traditions in art, literature, film and fashion. The funds of the fund were used for restoration projects, the organization of the musical "Festival of Two Worlds", and also went to support the National Academy of St. Cecilia.

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Fendi

History of the brand Fendi (Fendi)

In 1925, Eduardo and his wife Adele Fendi open a tiny leather goods workshop. They work tirelessly and their products are of impeccable quality and amazing handmade finishes. A clientele appears, and they decide to open their own shop, which immediately gains wide popularity.

Some time later, the couple also open a fur salon, which is so good and refined that it instantly becomes the standard of Italian folk style and begins to be in great demand.

Years pass, and the couple gradually hand over the business into the hands of their five daughters.

In 1946 15-year-old Paola joins her parents, and then Carla, Anna, Franka and Alda, all very different, but gifted, and each successfully contributes to the common business. Already in 1955, the Fendi sisters presented their first fur collection to the public, which was a resounding success.

Then, in 1965. girls invite fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld to work, and he creates light and elegant fur coats from bulky and unbearable women's fur coats. At the same time, Karl uses new materials, significantly enriches the palette of products, changes the shape and styles of clothing. By the way, it is he who comes up with the logo of two mirrored and inverted letters F.

The first perfume appears in 1985. - Fendi. This is an autumnal, serious, one might say, philosophical fragrance, very persistent and rich. You can feel the echoes of smoke from the fire, in which such fragrant and resinous cherry twigs crackle, you can feel a lot of dry and unsweetened cherries, and spices ring brightly.

In 1996 the men's perfume Life Essence is released, in 1998 - Fendi Theorema, in 2001. - Theorema Uomo and many others.

In September 2010 The house of Fendi releases an incredibly attractive, luxurious fragrance - Fan Di Fendi (Fendi Fan), it is golden yellow and positive, it sounds very bright, like the sun, fruity-citrus-floral. The initial notes are more juicy than the heart and trail, but soon, after a few minutes, the fragrance becomes more discreetly matte, less sonorous. A soft golden-feminine floral comes to the fore, and some spicy roughness is added to the trail.

The unique and attractive power of the magic of Fan Di Fendi perfume will attract the attention of any man. The perfume was created by the hands of two talents - the brilliant perfumer Delphine Lebeau-Krowiak and the creative director of the company Francois Demachy. The perfume is placed in a rectangular elegant and graceful bottle with a huge Fendi logo. and exquisite golden frame.

All perfumes from Fendi have an impeccable sense of taste. Fendi has firmly established itself as a brand that emphasizes not only aristocracy, but also the prestige and luxury of the status and wealth of its owner.

Today, Fendi classics are hard to find - many of them were discontinued when the House of Fendi sold its shares. But if you're lucky, be sure to buy Fan Di Fendi, as well as Fantasia, Theorema, Palazzo and Life Essence.

To our knowledge, the House of Fendi created 18 fragrances, the first in 1985. and the last one in 2012. The perfume was created in collaboration with perfumers Christine Nagel, Benoit Lapouza, Francois Demachy, Delphine Lebeau-Krowiak and Jacques Cavallier.

Today, Karl Lagerfeld remains the designer of the womenswear line, while Silvia Fendi is in charge of the menswear line and accessories.

The house of Fendi is constantly growing, it owns more than 100 branded stores. And in the future, experts predict the company's rapid growth and significant profits. The main thing is that the House of Fendi continues to delight us with new collections.

Italian fashion house Fendi is an example of how the art of a small family-run fur tailoring has become a symbol of style, innovation and elegance from Roman streets to the Great Wall of China.

"Histoire d'Eau" is the first film in history specifically filmed by the fashion house to promote its products. Delivered in 1977, it was timed to coincide with the launch of Fendi's first ready-to-wear collection. Its director and screenwriter was Karl Lagerfeld's longtime partner, dandy and bon vivant Jacques de Bascher. In 24 minutes, he talks about a young American woman who, instead of a boring treatment on the waters of Baden-Baden, goes to Rome. Every day she writes letters home ("It's cold here, send furs", "I bought myself a kitten named Carl"), collects water from the fountains of Rome and drinks whiskey with it, orders furs from Fendi, wears them in a defiantly modern manner and goes to breakfast in the atelier of the brand at the personal invitation of Carla Fendi. This breakfast, simple, with homemade crostat pies, cheese, pasta and chianti in straw-woven fiascos, is the very embodiment of the family spirit of the brand, in which both owner and employees stand at cutting tables, conjuring mink skins that are about to turn into an ideal fur coat, and the client, who pays a lot of money for it, plays the role of a waitress, a kind of cheerful girl, fanchulla, pouring wine and putting the best pieces of tired masters. A symbiosis that only Lagerfeld, who has just celebrated 50 years of his work at Fendi, remembers now, but which the brand has managed to preserve by transforming it into an intangible historical heritage.

What did you start with

The golden jubilee of the Kaiser of fashion in the Italian house coincided with the 90th anniversary of the brand itself. Officially, Fendi traces its history back to 1925, when Adele Casagrande married Edoardo Fendi and the young couple opened a small leather and fur shop in the very center of Rome, on via del Plebiscito. The family occupied the rooms directly above it, and set up a workshop in the back. The newlyweds quickly had children, between 1931 and 1940 five children were born, all girls: Paola, Anna, Franca, Karla and Alda. Babies soaked up the air of the atelier from birth. Adele put them to bed in lace-lined cradles in the midst of freshly sewn bags and scraps of leather. Carla Fendi recalled her childhood: "Pieces of leather and small accessories from it were our first toys." It is not surprising that all five daughters gradually joined the family business. The eldest, Paola, was 15 years old when she started working in the workshop...

Judging by the memoirs of contemporaries, it was Adele who was the driving force behind the business, which grew rapidly. In 1932, the Fendi store moved to via Piave. In 1933, Adele, who even before her marriage owned a leather workshop where saddles and travel bags were made, came up with a special dressing of leather. Pergamena - as it was called - was distinguished by a special dyeing method that gave it a natural yellow hue, which eventually became the brand's signature color.

The sedate Italian matrons, despite the hot climate, considered it their duty to demonstrate the wealth and respectability of the family with the help of luxurious fur coats made of sable, mink, fox, ermine, astrakhan and other valuable furs. “The recognition of the family began with the phrase “Il marito ha comprato la pelliccia” (“My husband bought me a fur coat”),” says Karl Lagerfeld about the lifestyle of Italians in the late 50s. The atelier was overwhelmed with work. Here the fur was not just sewn, it was dressed, bringing the skins to perfection, a quality that could be considered a reference. The company again ran out of space. Chance intervened. On via Borgognona, leading directly to the famous Plaza de España, a cinema was to be demolished. Roman to the tips of her nails, Adele could not accept this, began to protest, and then the owner asked: "Why don't you buy it, Signora Fendi?" She did just that. Until recently, there were as many as five boutiques of the brand on this street: Leather Products, furs, shoes, luggage line (suitcases, chests, etc.) and ready-to-wear. In 1964, the Fendi sisters opened the brand's headquarters in Via Borgognona. A huge portrait of Adele adorned her hall.

Who is Lagerfeld?

The mid-1960s were the heyday of post-war Italy. The Cinecitta studio attracted filmmakers and stars from all over the world. In Rome, endless parties were noisy, a string of celebrities of all stripes flowed from quarter to quarter. The emerging Italian fashion did not fail to take advantage of this. In the Florentine Palazzo Pitti, they began to arrange shows for Italian fashion houses. The Fendi sisters understood that they needed to fit into a new context that threatened to leave the respectable, but too bourgeois house of Fendi in the annals of history. Despite the resistance of their mother, who thought that things were going well, in 1965 they signed a contract with a young fashion designer (the word "designer" came into use later) of German origin. His name was Karl Lagerfeld.

Lagerfeld, not without irony, recalls his first visit to Fendi: “My long hair covered with a Cerruti hat. His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses. I was dressed in an English hunting-style coat of wool with a large red and yellow check, a colorful scarf adorned my neck. Today, this view would be considered strange. And he adds: “The world of that time was completely different, it was a completely different planet. Not at all what we know today."

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 1970-71

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Fall/Winter 1970-71

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Fall/Winter 1971-72

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 1979-80

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Fall/Winter 1979-80

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 1982-83

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Spring/Summer 1985

With Lagerfeld, spring has come to Fendi. In three seconds, he drew the famous logo - two letters F folded into a castle, which is called Zucca (pumpkin). Over the past half century, the logo has appeared on thousands of Fendi items, including bags, wallets, suitcases, shoes, clothes and, of course, furs. With the full consent of the sisters, the fashion designer completely changed the concept of the house. Fendi began to make light, soft, luxurious coats, capes, coats, fur coats and jackets, expressing a rapidly changing lifestyle. The atelier began to actively search for new materials and explore techniques for processing leather and fur. The results led to a real revolution. Furs appeared in the collections, which were not previously considered luxurious. Masters fearlessly tried new methods of dyeing, tanning; fur began to be cut like a fabric, knit, make inlays out of it. Today Fendi is a recognized leader in the fur industry. Keeping the tradition of handmade, the house continues research in the field of materials and their processing. And Lagerfeld still creates things out of them that look to the future, but retain the values ​​of the past...

How Fendi entered the global market

The sable and even the leopard remained in fashion, but this was not enough to attract the attention of the buyers of the largest department stores in Europe and the USA who came to Florence. At the show, it was impossible to demonstrate more than 16 models, and this made the task even more difficult. Lagerfeld came up with the "Eskimo" collection. All 16 models were made from pony skins decorated with Eskimo designs. Furs were complemented by bags ("Then no one had heard of fur bags in stores"), shoes, large soft hats with wide brim. It was a sensation. Fendi easily responded to the requests of foreign buyers, its collections appeared in the USA and Japan. Extravagant ideas are reflected not only in furs, but also in bags. Already in the late 1960s, the frames of an ordinary accessory became cramped with bags. Fendi made them from printed, intricately dyed leather, which was made soft and pliable by special processing. In 1968, bags made of linen, fur (of course), rubber and water-repellent fabrics were added to leather bags.

Around this time, the president of Bloomingdales, Marvin Traub, looked into the Fendi boutique in Rome. Lagerfeld recalls: “It was an elongated darkish hall, where steps led from the street. Three round banquettes upholstered in velvet gave the feeling of a Toulouse-Lautrec brothel. There were mirrors all around, lots of mirrors. The collections were stored in special booths, hidden from the eyes of visitors. The general atmosphere was very reminiscent of Luchino Visconti's films." In this decadently Roman place, Traub discovered a Selleria bag. Adele Fendi came up with it in the early 1930s. Sewn by hand, it was reminiscent of the skill of saddlers with a special stitch, it was soft, functional and practical. With the success of this bag, a new chapter began in the history of Fendi, which culminated in the late 1990s.

Prior to their arrival, Fendi successfully launched a ready-to-wear line in 1977 (remember the movie Histoire d'Eau?), and in 1978 they honored Adele's memory with a line of shoes that Diego Della Valle undertook to produce. The 1980s was a decade of consumption, greedy, growing, seeking to take over the world. Fendi kept up with the times. The brand opened all new lines. Jeans, gloves, ties, sunglasses, lighters, handkerchiefs, pens were supposed to represent the world of Fendi. Brand boutiques opened all over the world. Today there are about two hundred of them.

Triumph

1985 was the year of glory for the Roman fashion house. He celebrated the 60th anniversary of his success. The anniversary was celebrated by all of Rome. The National Gallery of Modern Art has staged an exhibition - the first exhibition ever devoted to fashion, in an Italian state museum. The date was "sprinkled" with a chypre floral fragrance with notes of wood and spices. This is how a perfume branch appeared on the brand tree, which today is decorated with 28 fragrances for both women and men.

The third generation of the Fendi family (five sisters had 11 children and more than 30 grandchildren) in the late 1980s began to try their hand at the family business. The greatest talent was found in Silvia Venturini-Fendi, Anna's daughter. It was she who in 1990 was entrusted to head the Fendi Uomo men's line. The women of the Fendi family have shown once again that they are able to foresee the future: today the men's line is an important part of the brand's business. However, Sylvia turned out to be also a talented creator of accessories - it is to her that the world owes the phenomenon of it-bag, bags that go crazy for and that every fashionista considers necessary to buy.

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Fendi Adele s.r.l. - Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 1989

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld Sketch featuring himself 1988

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Fall/Winter 1988-89

The explosion of a new universe occurred in 1997, when Sylvia Fendi, inspired by the French style of carrying a baguette from a bakery under her arm, composed a small bag with a short strap. From Carrie Bradshaw in "Sex And The City" with a purple Fendi Baguette to tabloid Madonna buying multiple Baguettes in Rome, the bag has become a symbol of the new millennium. “At that time,” Sylvia recalls, “bags were very functional, and the most fashion model was a black nylon Prada. I wanted to make a small bag, very simple, with a short strap, which would allow my hands to be free. I made it in an incredible amount of decors and materials so that women do not look the same. And got to the point. Everyone wanted the Baguette, we had to introduce waiting lists. With this model, not only they appeared, but also the concept of limited edition, because I did not want to repeat the same design endlessly. The Baguette was the first bag to be treated not as a classic accessory, but as a fashion item.”

Bag as art

Artists of the ranks of Damien Hirst collaborated with the brand to create their own design for the bag. Embroidered with colored beads, precious stones, fur, hand-painted Baguette has become a collector's item - since its inception, more than a thousand different bag decor options have appeared. Already in the year of its inception, in 1997, Rizzoli published the hefty volume "Fendi Baguette", and last year Fendi launched the "My Baguette" application, which allows Android and iPad users to design their own bag and customize its white linen version.

Two more models - Spy, a large soft bag with a semi-circular handle (2005) and B Bag, with a belt buckle-like double closure (2006), had moderate success before Peekaboo appeared in 2009. Peekaboo is a hide and seek game. Silvia Fendi decided to make it easier for women who are always looking for something in their bag and came up with double-sided twist locks. Thanks to them, the bag looks like it is not fastened, and others can see its contrasting lining. Today it is one of the brand's most popular bags, available in five sizes: micro, mini, small, medium and large.

On the recent emergence of the idea fashion accessories, not carrying a functional load, Silvia Fendi reacted with lightning speed. In the autumn-winter 2013 collection, small fur monsters appeared from the decadent mix of fox and mink on silver ring, and a year later, Fendi encroached on the sacred: Bag Boy Karlito appeared in the autumn-winter 2014 collection. “Carlito is a little monster inspired by me. I am a monster myself. He has a big collar and a black tie, just like mine. People love it. But the idea is not mine, but Sylvia Fendi,” Lagerfeld laments. Mini-Carl made of mink, silver fox and goat fur not only entertains others, but also serves as a kind of reminder of the kitten Carl left behind the scenes in the film by Jacques de Bascher.

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Fendi Adele s.r.l. - Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Spring/Summer 1996

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Fendi Adele s.r.l. - Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 1998

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Fendi Adele s.r.l. - Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 1999

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Fall/Winter 2013-14

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketches - Spring/Summer 2014

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Fall/Winter 2012-13

Drawing by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Karl Lagerfeld sketch - Fall/Winter 2013-14

And another reminder of the past. In 2003, Fendi launched a custom-made Selleria bag service. It allows customers to create their own versions of bags, choosing the type of leather, its color and accessories to their taste. Eight models are trimmed with a branded saddle stitch: Baguette 635, Peekaboo 1584, Adele 1328, Carla 650, Alda 326, Paola 1192, Anna 1322, Franca 2058. The number in the model name means the number of stitches that the master will make while working on the bag. subtle reminder of strict rules craftsmanship and history of the brand, which has been owned by the LVMH group since 2004.

Fendi today

“For half a century with Fendi, I myself managed to forget how Fendi changed the world of fur,” recalls Lagerfeld. “We came up with crazy things that a bourgeois woman of that time would not wear for anything.” A classic example of the Fendi style - a long table made of diagonally converging strips of fur, cut with particular lightness and elegance. Constant technical improvement allowed Fendi to combine five to eight different types of fur in one thing, sew it in a chaotic manner, reminiscent of a medieval knight’s chain mail, a pilgrim’s tattered rags, a patchwork or a Mondrian painting. In the 1970s, the fashion designer came up with a manteau sewn from strips of leather and fur from the same skin, so that you could see both the face and the inside at the same time, and the manteau itself was reminiscent of a randomly seen aerial photograph of rice fields. In the 1980s, Lagerfeld liked the idea of ​​light, flowing furs that resembled both a dress and a kimono at the same time, rather than serious, elegant and terribly expensive coats. In the 1990s, it was time for grunge and minimalism. In the noughties, he was inspired by shells, the hard shells of sea mollusks to create flowing coats from fur ribbons, and gilded fur. In the winter collection 2003/04, the designer created things from fur packed in PVC, a fox coat embroidered with rubber ribbons and a depilated mink coat.

“The more unimaginable the idea, the better. Normality kills creativity! And it doesn’t matter that something completely different from the source of inspiration may turn out in the finale, you will still see something unusual that no one has done before you!” explains Lagerfeld, who suffered from the cold during the Fendi show at the Great Wall of China in Beijing in 2007 and now enjoys the comfort of the brand's new atelier in Rome's Palazzo della Civilita Italiana.

The new headquarters of Fendi is an architectural emblem of Italian fascism. The building was built in 1942 as the main entrance to the never-held World's Fair in Rome and has been empty ever since. The impressive façade, composed of repetitive arches and marble sculptures, is reminiscent of de Chirico's paintings and the majesty of the Rome of the Caesars. The renovation of the Palazzo della Civilita Italiana was a gift from Fendi hometown. As a sign of connection with the Eternal City, the brand has updated its logo. “We added the word “Roma,” says Fendi CEO Pietro Beccari, “and we also made it more feminine, softer. Now it looks 1950s style. These are small changes, but very significant for us. Rome makes millions of people dream, represents a certain way of life: la dolce vita, la grande bellezza. We want to associate the Fendi name with Rome because both Fendi and Rome tell a timeless story of beauty.”

For its 90th anniversary, Fendi has given the world another gift. The fashion house donated $2.9 million to restore the iconic Trevi Fountain. The largest fountain in Rome with a baroque façade is familiar even to those who have never been to Rome: it is in its waters that Anita Ekberg splashes in Fellini's La Dolce Vita. In announcing the initiative, Silvia Fendi said that "for the Romans, water has always been an inspiration." It seems that Fendi's own source of inspiration is inexhaustible.