Fendi
LVMH · Italy
Fendi is the Roman luxury house founded in 1925 by Adele and Edoardo Fendi, famous for fur, leather goods and the Baguette bag. Owned by LVMH since the early 2000s, it has been led creatively by Maria Grazia Chiuri as chief creative officer since October 2025.
| Founded | 1925, Rome |
|---|---|
| Founders | Adele and Edoardo Fendi |
| Owner | LVMH (majority since 2001) |
| Headquarters | Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, Rome |
| Chief creative officer | Maria Grazia Chiuri (since 2025) |
| Honorary president | Silvia Venturini Fendi (since 2025) |
| Website | fendi.com |
What is Fendi?
Fendi is an Italian luxury house known for leather goods, fur and ready-to-wear for women and men. It is part of LVMH's fashion and leather goods division. In October 2025 Maria Grazia Chiuri, formerly of Dior and Valentino, became chief creative officer, while third-generation designer Silvia Venturini Fendi became honorary president.
History
Adele and Edoardo Fendi opened a handbag shop with a fur workshop in Rome in 1925. Their five daughters joined the business in 1946. In 1965 Karl Lagerfeld began a collaboration that lasted 54 years, creating the double F logo and the house's first ready-to-wear in 1977. Silvia Venturini Fendi designed the Baguette in 1997 and the Peekaboo in 2008. LVMH and Prada bought a majority in 1999, and LVMH became majority shareholder in 2001, later increasing its stake.
Products and positioning
Fendi sits firmly in the luxury segment. Leather goods and bags are central, alongside fur, couture-level craft, ready-to-wear and jewellery, led since 2021 by Delfina Delettrez Fendi. Spectacle has long been part of the brand, from a 2007 show on the Great Wall of China to its 90th anniversary show at the Trevi Fountain.
Business model and distribution
The house sells through its own boutiques, including its Roman flagship Palazzo Fendi, alongside e-commerce and department store presence. Its headquarters is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in Rome, and its fur atelier and leather artisans are based in the city.
Fendi and technology
In 2017 Fendi worked with Farfetch on a customisation service for made-to-order handbags, an early example of a luxury house testing personalisation online.
Why it matters
Fendi is one of the clearest examples of a family craft business scaled within a luxury group while keeping strong Roman roots. The appointment of Chiuri marks a new creative chapter after the Lagerfeld and Venturini Fendi era.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Fendi?
Fendi is owned by LVMH. The group bought into the company together with Prada in 1999, became majority shareholder in 2001 and later bought out Prada's stake.
Who designs for Fendi now?
Maria Grazia Chiuri has been Fendi's chief creative officer since October 2025. She previously led women's collections at Dior and co-led Valentino.