Fendi, the iconic Italian fashion house, is preparing to mark its 100th anniversary in grand style, launching its centennial celebrations with a coed fashion show at Milan Fashion Week in February 2024. The event, planned for February 25 to March 3, will showcase both men’s and women’s collections, bringing together the brand’s heritage, contemporary vision, and new creative direction for the milestone year.
Silvia Venturini Fendi Leads Creative Vision for the Show
Silvia Venturini Fendi, the artistic director of accessories and menswear collections, is spearheading the design and conceptualization for the upcoming centenary event. Known for her legacy-defining designs such as the iconic Baguette bag, Venturini Fendi is an essential part of the family business, which traces its origins back to 1925, when her grandmother Adele Fendi opened a leather goods and luggage shop in Rome. The upcoming show is expected to embody the family’s lasting influence on Fendi’s creative identity.
Revamped Spazio Fendi to Debut Alongside the Fashion Show
The show will coincide with the highly anticipated reopening of Spazio Fendi, located on Via Solari in Milan. Serving as Fendi’s historical venue for runway events and showrooms, Spazio Fendi has undergone significant renovations, ensuring it will offer a modern and refreshed backdrop for the brand’s centenary celebrations.
Fendi’s new CEO, Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou, reportedly shared details of the event with the Fendi team earlier this week, signaling a turning point for the brand as it heads into its next chapter. Angeloglou took over the CEO role on June 1, following the departure of Serge Brunschwig, and is working closely with Silvia Venturini Fendi and Delfina Delettrez Fendi, jewelry creative director at the house.
A Period of Transformation Amid Leadership Changes
Fendi’s centenary year comes amid significant transitions within the company, notably the departure of British designer Kim Jones. Jones, who had been serving as the artistic director of haute couture, ready-to-wear, and fur collections for women since 2020, stepped down earlier this month but remains the artistic director of menswear at Dior, also under the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton umbrella.
While awaiting Jones’s appointment, Venturini Fendi continued to play a central role as Fendi’s creative leader following the death of Karl Lagerfeld in 2019. Lagerfeld, a transformative figure for Fendi, had contributed to the house’s fur and women’s ready-to-wear collections for over five decades. Venturini Fendi’s deep connection to the brand’s legacy, combined with her unique creative sensibility, positions her as a natural guide for Fendi through its historic centenary.
Fendi’s Legacy: A Family Affair
Silvia Venturini Fendi’s contributions to the brand extend beyond her menswear and accessory designs. In recent years, she has collaborated closely with her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, who is currently Fendi’s jewelry creative director and key muse for the brand. This multi-generational collaboration represents the house’s enduring family legacy, blending tradition with modern creativity.
