Thirty years ago, under Anna Fendi’s visionary leadership, Fendi became the first couture house to launch an interiors line and it’s been evolving its distinctive brand of restrained Roman glamour ever since. Now, Fendi Casa has joined forces with Design Holding, a global powerhouse that counts B&B Italia and Maxalto in its roster of luxury brands.
The new venture, Fashion Furniture Design (FF Design), sees artistic director Silvia Venturini Fendi (pictured) combining the house’s creativity and craftsmanship with Design Holding’s product know-how, ensuring the ‘Made in Italy’ label remains a global mark of excellence.
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FF Design’s latest collection, which launches in full at Milan’s Salone del Mobile in April, includes collaborations with designers, including Toan Nguyen and the Swiss studio Atelier Oï, who understand what makes Fendi Casa tick while bringing an outsider’s eye to proceedings. ‘I admire those who create objects with a strong personality; detail-oriented, creative yet functional and that make me say, “I wish I’d had that idea,”’ explains Silvia.
Drawing on a pool of international talent has paid off. There’s a quiet exuberance to the furniture and textiles, with sumptuous fabrics deployed in are strained, supremely confident way and signature shades drawn straight from the Fendi palette.
Standout pieces include Atelier Oï’s coffee tables, which feature a sequence of classical arches that take their design cues from the façade of the Fendi headquarters in the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, while also nodding to Rome’s most famous building, the Colosseum.
The visual language of the house is deftly translated from clothing to carpets, with the iconic interlocking double-F logo of the Baguette bag and ‘Karligraphy’ script from Karl Lagerfeld’s tenure reimagined on richly textured rugs. The extravagant curves of Toan Nguyen’s cinnamon velvet modular ‘Sandia’ sofa perfectly express the luxurious aesthetic that Fendi is known for.
FF Design marks a confident step forward for Fendi Casa, while honouring the family firm’s artisanal and experimental heritage. It is a celebration of all thatItalian design is known for – precious materials and craftsmanship – infused with the label’s modern elegance. As Silvia puts it: ‘I believe this new collection encapsulates all the messages that we have built and amplified over the years, rendering a clear image of what we are and where we want to be.’ fendi.com
