Silvia Venturini Fendi to become ‘honorary president’ of Fendi as the Roman house enters a new era

A third-generation member of the Fendi dynasty, Silvia Venturini Fendi first visited the Roman fashion house’s atelier on Rome’s Via Borgognona aged one. At that time, it was run by her mother Anna and her four sisters, Paola, Franca, Carla and Alda; later, she would grow up there around Karl Lagerfeld, who would become creative director in 1965, the beginning of a 54-year tenure which ended with his death in 2019. In 1992, she would begin working alongside him, later becoming artistic director of accessories and menswear.

‘He was always interested in the moment. The past was the past, and the future we don’t know. So let’s live in the moment. It has shaped my view,’ she told Wallpaper* in a recent interview, discussing Fendi’s 100th anniversary show, which took place in February. After the departure of Kim Jones the December before, she took on responsibility for the house’s men’s and womenswear lines – the second time she had been sole creative director of the brand (for a brief period in 2019, after Lagerfeld’s death, she designed both the men’s and women’s collections).

Silvia Venturini Fendi to become ‘honorary president’ of Fendi

Just a few days after presenting a colourful men’s and womenswear collection in Milan last week, it has been announced that Venturini Fendi is to step away from her creative responsibilities and become the ‘honorary president’ of the house (Fendi was acquired by LVMH in 2000, taking away family control). ‘In her new capacity, she will focus on supporting Fendi’s heritage, while continuing to champion the brand worldwide and promoting the Maison’s rich history, exceptional craftsmanship, and the world of Fendi Casa,’ read a statement from the house. A new ‘creative organisation’ will be revealed in due course.

‘These have been truly exciting years, a journey I have walked also in the name of my grandmother Adele, my mother Anna, and her sisters,’ says Venturini Fendi. ‘My heart turns to Karl, an extraordinary master who granted me the honour of working by his side, teaching me the art of sharing, a defining quality in my family’s history of women, while guiding me to nurture and protect my own creative vision so that I could then fly on my own.

‘What a wonderful journey it has been, not only creatively but also from a human perspective: first through my bond with Karl Lagerfeld, then with Kim Jones and last but not least with my fantastic team, which over the years has become part of my family,’ she continues.

‘Her vision has guided Fendi from its Roman artisanal roots into the future, culminating in the celebration of the House’s 100-year anniversary,’ adds Ramon Ros, Chairman and CEO of Fendi. ‘I am thrilled to see the new projects that Silvia will lead in her new position, contributing not only to Fendi’s legacy and values but the world of Design and Craftsmanship around the world.’

READ: Silvia Venturini Fendi on luxury, lineage and looking to the future: ‘If it reminds me of something we’ve already done, we move on’

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