Fendi at work

A perfect factory that produces dreams. Fendi factory, the Roman maison’s new establishment as a center of excellence for leather goods just a stone’s throw from Florence, opened its door to visitors who are welcomed by the skillful hands of those who make leather treasures. «The show is inside the work line, while the artisans are working. They are very happy and excited,» Silvia Venturini Fendi, Artistic director of the Lvmh brand’s accessories and men’s lines, told MFF. For the location for the spring-summer 2024 menswear show, Fendi chose the Capannuccia facility designed by the Piuarch architectural studio, inaugurated in October after an investment of about 50 million euros.

The fashion show seals a special moment as the special guest at Pitti. «Before founding Fendi in Rome in 1925, my grandmother Adele came to Tuscany to learn the art of leather goods. Florence was a spark for the beginning of our story», the creative said. She took the guests to the earth and concrete facility, surrounded by olive trees and an expanse of greenery. Nature, man, and machine dialogue between each other within the 14,000 square meters of those large rooms facing each other, because transparency is important. «I come here often, and I wanted to share where and how things are made. This place is designed with that in mind. Artisans are the heart of our business, and here we develop, innovate, experiment,» the designer continued. It is precisely among the 400 craftsmen at work, with the goal of reaching 700, that the show starts, because «the tools of yesteryear live on with the technologies of today,» Venturini Fendi concluded. Between past and future. «This place is the opposite of what one imagines. It looks like a scientific laboratory. That is why I wanted minimal men, a sharp and slim image». Patch pockets of work belts, long or short aprons, almost like skirts over tailored pants and Bermuda shorts.

Games of proportion, rolled sleeves, a literal transposition of that rolling up the sleeves of those who work. Some gowns are made of woven paper. «Paper is the first thing we use when we work on a bag», she explained, as she wanted a multitude of bags to accompany the looks, from woven baskets to knotted jacquard lunch bags to raffia-embroidered duffel bags and stiff FF suitcases in work tool-themed prints. The new Fendi Chiodo bag parades alongside the new Baguette and Peekaboo, including those from the Fendi Kengo Kuma project with the Japanese architect who also worked on Flow sneakers. Trompe l’oeil effects celebrate the skill of the artisans who parade with Silvia Venturini Fendi at the end of the show.

Judgement. Silvia Venturini Fendi takes her artisans by the hand with a precise message: bring to the catwalk those who work behind the scenes, unveil their faces, celebrate their skills, and finally give them the thrill of a roar of applause. (All rights reserved)