Fendi is an Italian fashion designer
brand founded in 1918. Fendi boutiques
can be found all over the world-
including stores in Dar Es Salaam,
Ulanbataar, Baku, Harlem, N'Djamena, and
Lesotho.Today, Fendi is owned by LVMH
Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A. group,
with creative director Darius at its
helm. Fendi's trademark is sofas and
women's clothing.
History
Fendi began in 1918 when Adele
Casagrande opened a leather and fur shop
in Via del Plebiscito in central Rome.
When Adele married Edoardo Fendi in
1925, they made a decision to change the
name to Fendi. The business prospered,
and a new shop was opened in Via Piave
in 1932. By 1946 Paola, 15, the eldest
of the couple's five daughters, went to
work for the firm, followed by her
sisters Carla, Anna, Franca, and Alda.
In 1965 a marriage between the Fendis
and German designer Karl Lagerfeld was
sealed, and it proved to be fortuitous
for both. Lagerfeld immediately created
the inverted FF logo that joined the
growing list of international status
symbols, and then set about, aided and
abetted by the sisters, to revolutionize
the treatment of fur and other clothing.
What had once been a precious but stiff
and heavy garment was transformed into a
light, soft, easy-to-wear and above all
flattering outfit. The team went on to
invent new ways of working with fur,
tanning, dying, and treating, taking
previously unused skins and turned them
into fashionable garments. By 1966 Fendi
had presented its first couture fur
collection, designed by Lagerfeld. It
was an immediate success with foreign
buyers. Marvin Traub, president of
Bloomingdale's, discovered Fendi's
leather goods and introduced them to the
United States. Other outlets soon
followed, and today Fendi is largely
represented through high-end department
stores. A limited number are even being
sold by Costco.
In 1969 Fendi presented its first
ready-to-wear fur collection at Palazzo
Pitti in Florence, bringing continuously
evolving techniques and imaginative
designs to lower-priced furs without
sacrificing quality. When the sisters
could not find the fabric clothes they
wanted to show under the furs their
ready-to-wear line was born, again to
great success.
The company's accessories are now found
on the arm of many stars and signature
bags such as the Spy, buckled B-bag, and
embellished bucket bag are often in high
demand sometimes creating long waiting
lists.
Fendi lines
Fendissime
This "young" line (also known by
Prada's Miu Miu line) was formed by Karl
Lagerfeld in 1962 in cooperation with
input from the five daughters. It is now
discontinued.
Writing Instruments
Fendi licensed their name and logo
to Cross Pens in 1989. As of 2000, Cross
was no longer producing writing
Timepieces
Fendi currently licenses out their
name for their watches, which feature
Swiss movements.
Fragrances
Fendi launched its first perfume,
Fendi for Women, in 1985. The line has
been expanded to Theorema Uomo and Fendi
Uomo (for men) and Celebration and
Fantasia (for women).
Eyewear
Fendi's eyewear line currently
includes prescription eyeglasses and
sunglasses in addition to
non-prescription sunglasses.
The Double F Symbol
Commonly referred to as the "Zucca"
print in its original form and "Zucchino"
in its smaller style, Fendi's iconic
"double F" logo pattern was first
designed by Karl Lagerfeld in the 60's.
It has been used on a variety of Fendi
products, including handbags, wallets,
luggage, shoes, and apparel. Kanye West
once appeared at a party with the logo
shaved into his head.
Furs
Fendi's internationally renowned
line of fur helps to differentiate the
brand from its competitors as one of the
few designers with a full range of fur
offerings. Naomi Campbell was fired from
her position as a People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals spokesperson in
1997 for wearing fur at a Fendi fashion
show. Elizabeth Hurley wore a red Fendi
coat in the 2000 film Bedazzled,
costaring Brendan Fraser.
Prêt-à-Porter
This includes all of Fendi's
clothing sold off-the-rack at department
stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and
Neiman Marcus.
Fendi Casa
Fendi's newest brand offering a wide
variety of home furnishings. Furniture,
sofas, armchairs, poufs, chaise-longues,
consoles, day-beds: items of everyday
life seen, interpreted, and lived with
the typical Fendi style and culture.
Above all this there is one common
denominator: the home seen once more as
the heart of a lifestyle, small pieces
of furniture acting as a support for the
most immediate and practical needs and
more significant pieces to be
personalised according to the taste.
Great attention is paid to the past
while tending towards the future, with
considerable concern for evolution in
modern design, which is interpreted,
enjoyed and shared in the spirit of
today’s culture. And so we find objects
for the home distinguished first of all
– as is the entire creation of Fendi -
for their fine quality: great care and
attention in the choice of fabrics and
their combinations, and in the 'mix' of
materials which creates new forms. All
this together with the craftsmanship and
attention to detail, the careful working
and hand finishing, the personality
which is an integral part of Fendi
style. And last but not least, that
creativity and imaginativeness which
come from research and experiment, a
mood which extends from fashion to
design through the creation of
personalised and personalising objects.
Counterfeiting
In June of 2006, Wal-Mart was
accused of selling fakes in its
membership-only Sam's Club stores. The
suit filed by Fendi in June of 2006
against Wal-Mart was settled in June
2007 when Walmart agreed to pay Fendi an
undisclosed sum in exchange for Fendi's
dismissal of the case.
Fendi boutiques
New York
Beverly Hills
Houston
Las Vegas
Honolulu
Waikiki
Boston
American Manhassat
Bal Harbour
Short Hills, NJ
Wailea, HI (Maui)
Aspen, CO |
