Silvia Venturini Fendi's confidence in carrying on her predecessor's legacy is on full display in her first women's collection for Fendi
When Karl Lagerfeld was appointed Fendi’s artistic director, Silvia Venturini Fendi was only 5 years old. Some of her earliest memories involved sitting on the edge of his desk as a child, asking him one amusing question after another as he worked. Charmed by her curiosity, he never once turned her away and always indulged her eagerness to learn more.
Karl’s time at Fendi marked the longest collaboration between a fashion house and a designer in the history of fashion. But for Sylvia, the era gave her so much more. “He was the captain! So my life has changed in the way that now I decide. Before, there was a dialogue, a big dialogue. So today I feel the responsibility very much because the choices are mine—no compromise.”
Happy Days
To say that her mentor and friend was greatly missed at Fendi’s Spring/Summer 2020 show would be an understatement. Yet hope and love flourished everywhere, symbolised in the rising sun that was the memorable backdrop for her first womenswear collection since his passing, the artistry of each fascinating creation that came down the runway, and of course, Silvia herself, inspired by 54 wonderful years of friendship, creativity, wisdom, and so many fond memories.