NEARLY 100 YEARS OLD BUT STILL ON FLEEK FOR BOOMERS, GEN X AND Y MEMBERS, AND MILLENNIALS ALIKE HOW DOES FENDI STAY SO MARKET RELEVANT?

BY KARDIA YAZMYNE WILLIAMS

For nearly a century, Fendi and its instantly recognizable logo have made marks on both the luxury accessory and prêt à porter industries. The originator of the “it bag,” the brand continues to be sought after by “ladies who lunch” and Millennials alike. How has a ninety six year old label managed to stay relevant…to garner such cross generational appeal?

Founded in Rome in 1925 by Adele Fendi and her husband, Edoardo, the company initially specialized in fur and leather goods that quickly became world renowned. Fendi’s defining evolution, however, came in 1965, when Karl Lagerfeld, who seemed to make everything he touched turn to fashion gold at the time (and until his death in February of this year), came aboard as creative director and developed the now famed “FF” logo (which stands for “fun fur,” incidentally). A star was born.

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Over its entire course, the business has remained familyfocused, even after becoming a member of LVMH Group in 2001. Granddaughter Silvia Fendi, who designed the company’s Baguette Bag, is now serving as creative director after Lagerfeld’s run of 54 years.

For a label established the same year that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was published, Fendi has generated remarkable interest recently, including sprouting a cult following among celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Naomi Campbell, some of whom go so far as to wear the FF logo head to toe. Rapper Nicki Minaj even sported a brand fur jacket, complete with a matching thong, on a recent album cover.

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It’s no secret that Millennials are image conscious, and Fendi has cannily responded with the launch of collaborations with a young audience focus. It has received high marks from the fashion community for its co branding with Fila, for example, the result a mash up of luxury and street wear. The label has also collaborated with Minaj on a capsule collection released in October. Dubbed “Prints On,” it’s nearly as bold as the rapper’s yrics, and features vibrant pink furs and bodycon dresses with eye catching cutouts, perforated leather, and shimmering metallics. Minaj accessories include a Baguette Bag and sneakers, both in hot pink the collection available on line, as well as at the New York Madison and New York Soho Fendi boutiques.

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The house’s Fall/Winter 2019 Collection epitomizes this year’s elevated aesthetics while maintaining a refreshingly youthful balance. Smartly tailored blazers, double breasted coats, and starched bow ties were blended with miniskirts and stockings boldly emblazoned with the house logo. Outerwear, meanwhile, adopted a fresh and innovative perspective in the form of bold, vibrant yellow hues and coats fabricated of perforated leather.

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