VIVA Dubai

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An unstoppable fashion trio: Mr LVMH Arnault, Silvia Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld

Fashion trio Silvia Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld and LVMH are taking Fendi, now in its 80th year, to new successes. Linked inextricably with Lagerfeld since childhood, Silvia reveals exclusively to Alexandra Shakespeare just what it was like growing up around such a design master, in one of Italy’s most-loved fashion houses

Baguette or bust

Left: VIVA’s limitededition invitation to the Palazzo opening party, sketched by Lagerfeld Right: Fendi’s shoe design team hard at work

Alex ch

ats with

Karl

sports his signature grey ponytail, black leather

proud of how far the company has come. In

owned part of the company and each had

gloves and dark sunglasses. He inspires intrigue.

just five years, the business has gone from a

the right to dispute its direction. It must have

Carla Fendi, one of the five Fendi sisters,

family operation with only two shops in New

been a huge pressure carrying that name,

sits in the front row; as chairman, she is the

York and Rome to a corporate concern with

being that name?

only remaining Fendi to own a stake in the

117 worldwide.

once family-dominated business. She remains

K

Karl’s minimalist Fendi office

‘The fact that it was a family business shows

It wasn’t an easy transition. Pre-LVMH,

that there has been passion - for people,’

pensive and tight-lipped, with her head just

the Fendi family lacked a long-term vision.

explains Silvia enthusiastically, finally uncrossing

ever so slightly tipped high. Next to her is her

Flagging sales results indicated as much. Yet

her arms and legs. ‘It is your name - you feel

niece, Silvia Venturini Fendi. Director of Fendi

the creativity was always there, it was just

pride, and you have to show that it is not only a product but it is something that is part of you.’

arl Lagerfeld’s Fendi design

and the design tomes said to be Karl’s most

accessories and menswear, and famed for

instigating a healthy structure outside the

studio is a shrine to minimalism.

prized possessions, and I try to imagine a master

designing the Fendi Baguette bag, Silvia, 44,

matriarchal hierarchy which dominated for

To get to it, Karl - like any mere

at work. Is Karl really part of the action here at

bears a similar expression to her aunt, and as

so long that was near impossible. ‘I feel better

with Fendi for 40 years, almost his entire career

mortal - has to stride up to

Fendi? I bet the 80-odd Japanese journalists

Arnault talks on their behalf, she - like Karl and

here now,’ sighs Silvia. ‘It is good teamwork. My

(and for the last 20 with Chanel too), feels the

peeking in too are wondering the same thing.

Carla - gives little away. But what does she

colleagues listen to me and I can fight hard for

same about Fendi. After so long, is it part of him too? His reputation would have you think

the second floor of Palazzo Fendi, the company’s shiny

I wonder if Karl Lagerfeld, who has worked

really think of these corporate heavyweights

what I want. Before, I would argue with my family

our doubts, Mr Bernard Arnault, head of luxury

addressing the fashion world about the

then still have to sit down for dinner with them, so

not. Known as ‘Kaiser Karl’ for being detached

Rome, past the bustling fur workshop, Silvia’s

conglomerate LVMH which now owns 98 per

future of their brand - their business - that

you always want to uphold a good relationship.

yet dedicated - whatever the cost - to the

design desk and shoe guru Ernesto Esposito’s

cent of Fendi, turns to the crowd attending the

three generations of the Fendi family have

There weren’t any borders, your feelings

cause of clothes, he’s seen as one of few

post-HQ tour, and announces the renewal of

dedicated their lives to?

new international headquarters in the heart of

busy design team.

A small white-walled box room, it’s scarcely furnished bar a white leather-padded chair, a neat white sofa, and a nondescript white desk.

My eyes settle on the set of coloured pencils 110

An hour later, as if we’d all collectively aired

Fendi’s contract with Lagerfeld. There is more hope - and hype - ahead for the Italian label.

Mr Lagerfeld himself is in attendance.

Cigarette-slim in black drainpipe jeans, he

Silvia Fendi sits opposite me now, cross-

and emotions were always involved.’

The LVMH takeover is now, to some

legged and wearing a tired expression, and

extent, a relief for everyone (and not least

I ask her just that. She says, in a thick Italian

because profit is in sight for 2007). Five

accent, no louder than a whisper, that she’s

years ago all the sisters (and their children)

Famous fans of the Fendi Baguette bag: Cate Blanchett, Catherine Zeta Jones and J.Lo

independent fashion ‘brands’ to exist in the industry’s recent history.

Some harsh critics, however, wonder how such an ‘institution’ could not make a similarly huge success of his three own-name trademark 111

Dubai’s fiorrset Fendi st

labels. Having just sold them to conglomerate-hungry Tommy Hilfiger, Karl may have finally silenced them.

Still, whichever side of the fence you sit on when it comes to Karl’s genius, one glimpse into the history of the 80-year-old brand, and it’s clear that without him, LVMH and Silvia’s Baguette bags, Fendi wouldn’t be the global success it is today.

The five headstrong Fendi sisters met the German designer in 1965 when he swept into the Fendi design studio, then a converted cinema in Rome. Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla

Fendi bags hit the headlines all over the world

and Alda controlled the family business with their mother Adèle, after their father Edoardo had died. Bringing in Karl was a radical move.

Silvia, Anna’s daughter, then just four years old, fondly recalls first setting eyes on Karl: ‘He changed his look so many times, but when I first

The new A/W 05 Baguette bag design

met him he was in his late twenties with long, dark, curly hair and a beard. Wearing a longsleeved artisan shirt, he looked like a painter - it was a very romantic vision.’

The first thing Karl Lagerfeld did with his fresh ‘artisan’ eye was design the double ‘F’ Fendi logo, which now distinguishes the brand absolutely. At the same time, though, Fendi’s

Karl’s absolute independence from any

fur sales were seriously flagging. It was a

one brand that such genius was allowed to

worrying period - Fendi had become infamous

flourish? When I asked Karl what it is he brings

for fur since opening its first small shop in

to Fendi that no other designer could, he

Via del Plebiscito in Rome in 1925. Carla

confirms this theory: ‘I have an understanding

and Anna, the youngest of the two Fendis,

for Italians, but I’m a stranger,’ he declares

along with Lagerfeld, started

decisively. ‘It is always better for

rethinking the traditionally

strangers to have a view on a

of the word’. Could Fendi’s family environment

heavy fur coat. Together they

country, a style, a spirit, more

have actually helped to nurture his talent?

so than the people who

reshaped it (cutting smaller

are born there - people

shoulders and leaner bodies), redyed it in

who are born there are

fashion colours, and

too involved, they are

Indeed, perhaps it is Silvia Fendi, who now heads up design with Karl, who has kept him there for the last 40 years.

Said to have developed an almost

pleated and draped

more part of the place

the luxury skins in a

and have to deal

earliest designs for Fendi was in fact a dress for

way that had never

with the restrictions

the young Silvia. ‘A simple look is enough for us

that brings. I am

to understand each other,’ she says. ‘We know

been done before.

international, I am not

‘I wanted to use

too involved.’

technique,’ recalls

So he feels he has an

the designer. The

father/daughter relationship, one of Karl’s

each other very, very well. When I was young, I preferred to see him work, rather than go and play with my friends.’ But despite growing up

first of Karl’s many

outsiders’ perspective

around him, Silvia says that she also remained

controversial

then? ‘Always. In life,

something of an outsider - from both Karl and

changes introduced

work, everything, I am

the business - until her early thirties.

at the atelier, paid off. Rather

always on the outside.’

Dubbed the sixth

than just a status symbol, Fendi fur became a wearable fashion statement.

It was a move that was seen as pure fashion genius.

But was it really only through 112

Fur coats featured heavily on Fendi’s autumn/winter 2005 catwalk

‘Everybody thought I should go in to the business, apart from me. Although I did want to

honourary Fendi sister, he has

understand Karl, who had a great relationship

never, by any means, been a

with my mother Anna. I felt his intelligence, his

stranger to the house of Fendi,

genius, but I was little bit afraid of this - I was

despite once claiming, ‘I

scared to be around him,’ Silvia recalls. ‘But

want no roots in any sense

Karl would come to Rome and we would have

Another Baguette bag design for A/W 05

Young Silvia wearing Fendi Palazzo Fendi, Rome: LVMH proves its commitment to Fendi by restoring the 18th century building into the HQ. It houses a store, design studios and fur ateliers (above)

Silvia & Ka

rl at HQ

lunch. We would talk about music, anything.

‘I returned to a very big scandal. Our family

time it was the mid-90s and minimalist black

With somebody who can both talk and sketch

is like a clan, and my grandmother Adèle was

nylon bags dominated. Deciding that Fendi’s

so eloquently, to a child, it’s such a delight.

shocked. I didn’t get married though - I never

customers wanted more personalised, colourful

Everything he did was harmonic.

did. The father of my son was already married.’

and luxurious bags, Silvia created the Fendi

‘When the time came, I tried to look inside

The honour of the Fendi name was at stake.

Baguette - so called as it fits snugly under the

myself and think, “What do I want to do?”. I

Enter surrogate father Karl. ‘I told him what

arm like a French stick. Every star from SJP

had to go travelling and put some distance

had happened. When I arrived home with my

to J.Lo carried one and the demand for the

between me and my family’s work to find out.’

boyfriend, Karl had made me a wedding dress

compact, opulent purse went through the roof.

in red, not white, because I was pregnant. It

So did the waiting lists, which were more down

was seen to be rejecting the world she was

was beautiful with a big bow over the bump.

to manufacturing restrictions than purposely

born into - and learning from a master didn’t

Then I found invites to a party celebrating my

building hype. Nearly 10 years on, it’s still being

change her feelings. ‘It was a big problem

‘wedding’ that had supposedly taken place in

talked about and because of it, Silvia’s position

for the family. I was sent to college in London

London! It read, “The Fendi family invites you to

in the LVMH-controlled business is assured. ‘I am

because my aunt Carla - who was like a

celebrate our daughter’s wedding to Bernard”

still here not because I am a Fendi but because

second mother to me - said I must finish

– they didn’t even know his full name. It was

people recognise my work. That makes me

studying so I could join the business. I made

an invitation to all the friends in Rome to a fake

really happy.’

it clear I didn’t want to. “But what else are

wedding party! We then had three big nights

When Silvia took a bow with Karl at the end

you going to do?” she asked. “Travel” I said,

with cakes and gifts. I have the pictures but it

of the much applauded autumn/winter 2005/6

to which she replied, “That’s no good. You

was never real!

catwalk show, it sealed what we now know to

With all the family involved in Fendi, Silvia

be one of the most important relationships in

Fendi’s in-store trunk shows (touring catwalk

fourth generation, so I had to go through with

Fendi’s past, present and future. But who will

presentations) - working for two months in LA,

it all, otherwise I would have brought shame to

be leading the fourth generation of Fendi?

then travelling to Tokyo and Japan every May.

the family. It’s very Italian - like the movies!’

When Silvia eventually returned home in

Silvia made up for the scandal - which she

‘I have a daughter too,’ says Silvia. ‘She graduates soon but doesn’t know what she

her late twenties, via a stay in Brazil, she was

has never talked about publicly before - by

wants to do, except travel and maybe work in

pregnant. ‘I suddenly had a much stronger

knuckling down to work. She launched the

fashion. She reminds me of somebody I know

sense of family. So I came back to Italy and

diffusion line, Fendissime, with her sister and

very well...’

finally got involved in the business.

cousin before shaking up accessories. At that

■ Fendi Dubai, BurJuman Centre (04) 351 1833

114

PHOTOGRAPHY REX AND WIREIMAGE

‘You see, my son was the first of Fendi’s

have to work”.’ Eventually Silvia agreed to run