From bags and fur in 1925 to ready-to-wear, accessories and even a home collection, what has Fendi’s journey been like over the last 90 years?

When I look back, I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved. I think these nine decades have been incredibly important. I always feel emotional about it. This is what Fendi is for me: emotion and family. And emotion is a very important aspect of life and I’m sure everybody feels the same way — the same beauty, beautiful things in a beautiful concept — that is what we always want to highlight through everything at Fendi.

What connection does Fendi have with the city of its birth, Rome? How have Roman influences seeped into Fendi's fashion language?

As the birthplace of Fendi 90 years ago, Rome has proved to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the maison and has given way to a true love story. Rome and its culture are in our DNA and we are proud to be Romans. We are now part of the story of a legendary Roman fountain (Trevi Fountain) and we work and produce our collections inside a monument (the Palazzo della Civilta Italiana).

As a brand, how does Fendi retain its roots while staying relevant in the constantly changing world of fashion?

I see Fendi as a pure expression of daring creativity, femininity, cinematic inspiration, innovative techniques and timeless craftsmanship, focussing on the future. We look at the past but with an eye always projected towards the future.

You created the iconic Fendi Baguette — while designing, did you expect it to become the icon it went on to become?

I think the greatest secret behind the success of the Baguette was that I did not try to design an ‘It’ bag. Feeling no pressure, I envisioned a bag that I would carry with pleasure. I was told to design a minimal and functional bag that would successfully reflect the spirit of the ’90s when everything had become compact. Following a simple logic, I deduced what is minimal could also be mini, and function to me meant having hands-free. So, I created a comfortable style by keeping the shoulder strap short. There was no other bag in the market that resembled Baguette. As the popularity of Baguette grew, the waiting list also grew. This imbalance between supply and demand resulted in turning the Baguette into an obsession. Owning this bag became an obsession for some women during that time.

Fendi has always had a connection with the silver screen. What fuels this connection?

Fendi's affinity with the world of cinema is natural. Cinema has always been an important part of our family life and Fendi. It was something that happened naturally, as part of the creative and artistic side of Rome. In the ’60s and ’70s everything used to start with personal relationships. My mother and her sisters were great friends with costume designers, actors and directors. They went out for dinners together, after work, and talk informally about ideas. We love experimentation and field contamination, like collaborating with the cinema world. There are no boundaries between fashion and cinema, each feeds off the other for inspiration.

elizabeth mathew

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