Forward-thinking approach to luxury and legacy by Silvia Venturini Fendi: 'If it recalls past endeavors, we shift focus'
Fendi's Centenary Show: Silvia Venturini Fendi Shines at the Brand's Renovated Milanese HQ
Fendi marked its 100th anniversary in style during Milan Fashion Week, with a captivating show at the brand's recently renovated Milanese HQ on Via Solari. The event, which was held at Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, a building commissioned by Benito Mussolini as the centerpiece of his reimagined "Roman Empire," showcased the brand's rich history and its vision for the future.
The show, which was a dialogue between discipline and movement, classic shapes and subversive tailoring, was led by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the matriarch of the Fendi dynasty and the current creative director of the men's, women's, and accessories collections. Venturini Fendi's approach to fashion and design balances deep respect for Fendi’s heritage with a forward-looking, innovative vision.
Venturini Fendi first visited the Fendi atelier on Via Borgognona at the age of one, and her life has been intertwined with the brand ever since. She began officially working at Fendi in 1992, and has held the roles of artistic director of accessories and menswear since then. In 2019, she briefly took over the womenswear line, and has recently resumed this role following Kim Jones' departure.
The show captured a mood of insouciant Roman glamour, with women's wear shifting between an hourglass silhouette and flourishes of 'fur' that were actually shearling, treated to resemble fox, mink, and sable. The response to the show was rapturous, with many observers noting that a large part of this was due to Venturini Fendi's singular position as a third-generation member of the fashion dynasty.
Venturini Fendi's designs embody a tension between structure and fluidity, tradition and reinvention. She curates collections rooted in the past—drawing from the brand’s archives and personal family memories—while infusing a contemporary and experimental spirit that anticipates the future of Fendi. Taking sole creative control after Kim Jones, she continues to steer Fendi by marrying historic elements with cutting-edge concepts, maintaining Fendi’s identity as both timeless and innovative.
In addition to clothing, Venturini Fendi's creative direction extends to accessories, where playful charm collections combine artisanal craftsmanship with sustainability and a sense of fun linked to family heritage. Her designs are a testament to her belief in balancing the past's narrative and craftsmanship as a foundation, while boldly shaping Fendi’s future through experimentation, playfulness, and modern reinterpretation.
Venturini Fendi recognizes that her life was different due to her family's connection to fashion and aims to teach her own children by example. Her seven-year-old twin grandsons Dardo and Tazio opened the show by pulling open huge doors designed to resemble those of the historic Fendi atelier and store on Via Borgognona. Venturini Fendi feels proud of her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, who has a great sense of fashion and recognizes beauty.
LVMH has not yet announced whether Jones' role as artistic director of womenswear and couture will be replaced by someone external. However, with Venturini Fendi at the helm, Fendi's future looks bright as it continues to celebrate its rich history while looking ahead.
[1] [https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-womenswear/fendi] [2] [https://www.vogue.com/article/silvia-venturini-fendi-celebrates-fendis-100th-anniversary-with-a-show-in-milan] [3] [https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-womenswear/fendi/accessories] [4] [https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-womenswear/fendi/behind-the-scenes] [5] [https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-womenswear/fendi/backstage]
- Silvia Venturini Fendi, the current creative director of Fendi, has a fashion-and-beauty vision that balances respect for the brand's heritage with a forward-thinking, innovative approach, contributing to the brand's continued success in pop-culture and entertainment.
- As celebrities and the fashion-conscious global audience eagerly follow Fendi's movements in the lifestyle sphere, the brand's centenary show at its renovated Milanese HQ demonstrated its commitment to staying relevant while maintaining a strong connection to its past.
