One of Karl Lagerfeld’s first designs for Fendi was a dress for Silvia Venturini Fendi, who at the time was a primary school student.
Today, Venturini Fendi is the brand’s accessories director, appointed by Lagerfeld in 1994. She also designs the men’s wear.
The reclusive and soft-spoken blonde is the daughter of Anna Fendi and granddaughter of Fendi founders Adele and Edoardo Fendi. She is also the driving force behind Fendi’s reputation for developing “It” bags. She works closely with Lagerfeld, who renewed his 40-year collaboration with the brand in May 2005, ending speculation of an imminent departure.
With such key figures firmly positioned in their roles and chief executive officer Michael Burke running the business side — he’s set on doubling the company’s volume within three to four years — Fendi keeps moving full throttle ahead.
Fendi’s first blockbuster style was the Baguette, a slim bag that tucks under the arm. The luxury company launched the style in 1997 and the buzz surrounding it turned Fendi’s accessories design studio into a hub for up-and-comers. Gucci’s Frida Giannini, for example, trained at the house.
Most recently, Fendi masterminded the Spy Bag, a soft shoulder style with double-braided handles, and the B Bag, featuring two patch pockets on its face that close with oversized buckles. B Bag fans include Reese Witherspoon, Tilda Swinton, Sharon Stone and Valentina Cervi. The B-buckle motif has also been translated in Fendi sunglasses by Marchon and wide patent leather belts.
Since the summer of 2005, when Fendi launched the Spy Bag, some 74,000 pieces of the style have been sold, and its success inspired a revised version for this fall that incorporates down and is the result of a cobranding project with Moncler. The red, black or green bag will hit Fendi stores at the end of this month.
Following the estimated $25 million remodeling of the Palazzo Fendi in Rome in May 2005 that houses a new store concept, plus design ateliers and offices, Fendi also launched the Palazzo bag for this fall.
The clean-cut shoulder bag is available in fur, suede, calfskin, patent leather and logoed canvas with gold piping and the Palazzo Fendi effigy etched in the front. Actress Monica Bellucci snapped it up immediately.
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Accessories in general account for 65 percent of Fendi’s sales.
The house has also coddled its big-screen passion. In January, it hosted the opening ceremony of the Nastri d’Argento, Italy’s main film event in the newly remodeled Palazzo Fendi.
At the same time, it established an award called Fendi Film — Talento 2005, aimed at putting rising stars on the film industry’s radar. This summer, it joined forces with Sharon Stone, who designed a luxury travel set for Fendi for the amfAR charity auction.
In October, Fendi participated in the first edition of the Rome Film Festival by establishing the New Cinema Network, a monetary prize given to the emerging young director Santiago Tabernero.
In September, Fendi extended its new store concept, which is airier and fresher than the old one, to a flagship in Naples. On Nov. 18, it will also open the doors to a store inside the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, India.