1925

A Roman Love Story

The Fendi story begins not in a boardroom, but in a marriage. In 1925, Adele Casagrande and Edoardo Fendi opened a small fur and leather workshop on Via del Plebiscito in the heart of Rome. What started as a humble artisan boutique quickly became a destination for the city's elite, drawn by the couple's uncompromising dedication to material quality and handcraft.

After Edoardo's passing, their five daughters—Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla, and Alda—inherited the maison in 1946. Rather than retreat, the sisters transformed grief into ambition, expanding the business with a fierce entrepreneurial spirit that would define Fendi's DNA for generations. Rome was not yet a fashion capital, but the Fendi sisters were determined to make it one.

1965

The Lagerfeld Revolution & The Birth of FF

In 1965, the five sisters made a decision that would alter fashion history: they hired a young, relatively unknown German designer named Karl Lagerfeld. What followed was a creative partnership lasting an extraordinary 54 years—one of the longest in the history of luxury fashion.

• The Double F Logo (1965): Legend has it that Lagerfeld sketched the now-iconic interlocking "FF" monogram in mere seconds. Standing for "Fun Fur," it signaled a radical philosophy—fur was no longer stiff or conservative, but playful, modern, and revolutionary.
• The Fur Revolution: Lagerfeld deconstructed traditional fur craftsmanship, introducing techniques like shaving, dyeing, weaving, and patchworking that transformed fur from old-world status symbol into avant-garde art.
• Ready-to-Wear Expansion: Under his vision, Fendi expanded beyond accessories into full ready-to-wear collections, establishing itself as a complete luxury house.

The FF monogram became one of the most recognizable symbols in global fashion—a geometric declaration of Roman audacity.

1997

The Baguette: The World's First It-Bag

In 1997, Silvia Venturini Fendi—granddaughter of the founders and the family's creative torchbearer—grew tired of the bulky, utilitarian totes dominating the 1990s. Inspired by the way Parisian women casually tucked a loaf of bread under their arms, she designed a small, rectangular, ultra-chic bag meant to be carried close to the body.

She called it the Baguette. What followed was a cultural earthquake. Propelled to stratospheric fame by its starring role on Sex and the City—where Carrie Bradshaw famously declared, "It's not a bag, it's a Baguette"—the design became the world's first true "It-Bag." Over 1,000 unique variations have been produced, from sequined and beaded editions to collaborations with artists worldwide.

The Baguette didn't just sell millions of units; it invented an entirely new category of desire in fashion and cemented Fendi's place in pop culture immortality.

Today

A New Roman Renaissance

Now a crown jewel of the LVMH empire, Fendi continues to honor its Roman soul while embracing the future. The opening of the magnificent Palazzo Fendi in Rome's historic center stands as a monument to the maison's commitment to its birthplace—a fusion of heritage architecture and contemporary luxury.

In October 2025, the house entered a bold new chapter with the appointment of Maria Grazia Chiuri as Chief Creative Officer, while Silvia Venturini Fendi transitioned to the role of Honorary President. Chiuri—herself a Roman designer with deep roots in the city's creative legacy—brings a vision of empowered femininity, artisanal excellence, and architectural elegance.

From the re-edition of the beloved Baguette 1997 to the timeless Peekaboo and FF-adorned leather goods, today's Fendi speaks a language of quiet Roman confidence—proving that after 100 years, the Eternal City's most fashionable family still has the world at its feet.