Today, interior collections from fashion houses seem like a typical branding solution. But just a few decades ago, in 1988, when Fendi's creative director, Alberto Vignatelli, decided to go in this direction, many considered the idea insane. How can one transition from evening dresses to decorating sofas? And it turned out, it can be done, and quite successfully.
Thus, the Roman fashion brand became a pioneer in the field of luxury interior design, launching a line of furniture and home accessories. The rich heritage and avant-garde vision of Fendi's home are evident in each item and collection. For instance, one of the first Fendi Casa sofas adorned the iconic FF logo, created by Karl Lagerfeld in 1965, along with chocolate-toned stripes inspired by the print of the famous Fendi Pequin Bag. Modern sofas also feature the distinctive stitching of Fendi Selleria Bags and motifs from Villa Borghese, which has become a contemporary classic.
The connection with the fashion world significantly influenced the style of furniture: meticulous attention to the details, refined color combinations, and a wide diversity of textured solutions: velvet, suede, nubuck, mink fur, and even sable. The best designers, such as Toan Nguyen, Thierry Lemaire, Marco Costanzi, and Dimitri Rybaltchenko elaborate on the brand’s collections.
In 2013, French artist Maria Pergay created the limited Metamorphosis collection, playing with the combination of contrasts and opposites: metal and fox fur, icy shades and rose gold, smooth curves, and sharp breaks. These elements were naturally interwoven into the design of tables, chairs, and poufs.
A year later, in 2014, another French decorator, François-Joseph Graf, created a capsule collection at the joint of the Ming dynasty and Art Nouveau. Some items in the collection, like a cocktail table covered in red lacquer, are in a traditional Chinese style, while others, such as benches made of black oak, only hint at the East, revealing more European traditions and the distinct influence of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
In 2014, François-Joseph Graf, a French decorator, curated a capsule collection that seamlessly merged the essence of the Ming dynasty with Art Nouveau. Within this collection, certain pieces, like a red lacquer-covered cocktail table, embody a traditional Chinese aesthetic, while others, such as benches crafted from black oak, delicately suggest Eastern influences, showcasing a harmonious blend of European traditions and the unmistakable impact of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
