
āWe will always remain faithful to our DNA,ā says CEO of Fendi Timepieces Domenico Oliveri. Itās why there was only one place in the world fitting for the global debut of the brandās latest timepieces. āItās not even a question,ā explains Fendi CEO Serge Brunschwig. āItās obvious now.ā The answer, unsurprisingly, is Rome. Itās the birthplace of the famed luxury fur house, founded in 1925 by Edoardo and Adele Fendi, and itās continued to be the home of its sprawling headquarters. And if one thing is clear at the maison, itās that home is where the heart is.
For Fendi, the city of Rome represents not only its past, but also its present and future. Itās a lasting relationship that Fendi has committed to fully. In 2013, the house announced its plans to restore one of Romeās most iconic landmarks, the Trevi Fountain. It became the catalyst for a philanthropic effort known as āFendi for Fountains,ā dedicated to restoring and preserving the cityās cultural heritage. In 2016, the brand added fountains del Gianicolo, del MosĆØ, del Ninfeo del Pincio, and del Peschiera to its list for conservation.

Given its close ties, in 2015 Fendi chose the Palazzo della CiviltĆ Italiana as the grounds for its new headquarters, further strengthening its connection to Rome. Ninety years after its launch, the house opened its doors to the public to share annual exhibitions and installations, from āUna Nuova Roma. LāEur e il Palazzo della CiviltĆ Italianaā in 2015 to āFendi Studiosā in 2017. The brandās relationship with its city of origin is both strong and undeniable.
Beyond this connection to Rome, itās innovation that continues to push the brand forward. Until his passing in February, it was a charge led by legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld. āWhen he arrived in ā65, it was real rock ānā roll here,ā says Brunschwig. āIt was a fur atelier, and Karl cut the fur into really small pieces, and would sew it again,ā he continues. āYou take something precious, and you twist it and you change itāyou rework it, and you take risks.ā That, says Brunschwig, is at the heart of the Fendi brand.

It goes without saying, then, that for its launch of the latest Forever Fendi timepieces, invention played an important role. Fendiās approach to designing timepieces is a key point of difference that sets it apart from other watchmakers. Unlike most, the house takes a jewellery-first approach to its craft. āThe fact that we create jewellery which tells the time makes this a bracelet,ā says Brunschwig. Its band of interlocking Fendi signature FFs, a design by Lagerfeld, serves as the base, or in the words of Brunschwig, āa fantastic support for a watch.ā
Oliveri agrees. āFor us, the watch is an accessory that tells time,ā he says. āOur customer uses a different combination depending on her mood or outfit.ā For the Fendi woman, variety is key. āItās important to give a wide variety of combinations of materials and colours from the most precious to less precious in order to really fit with the character of our customer,ā he says. With Fendiās Policromia collection, the watchesā dials are designed from precious stones. āThey give colour, preciousness, and naturality,ā says Oliveri, pointing out a particular watch. āThis one is mother of pearl, but youāll also find malachite and turquoise.ā With the Fendi Forever collection, itās materials like mother of pearl and diamonds that catch the eye.

Speaking of options, this season, Fendi introduced a slimmer version than past iterations. āWe did a smaller watch for two reasons,ā says Oliveri of the Swiss-made Forever Fendi offering. āFirst of all, in our collections, this size was missing,ā he states. āSecondly, weāve recognized a trend going in this direction.ā Rather than be on trend, Fendi aspires to be ahead of it, to know what its customers want before they even know they want it.
Looking ahead at the future of watchmaking, the brandās DNA is always in mind. āItās so rich that you can interpret it in so many different ways, from a more fashion-forward watch to a more classic style,ā says Oliveri. Itās how the brand continues to appeal to a wide audience, both young and mature. āTheyāre different watches, but they all speak the same language,ā he says. Itās a message with universal appeal from a brand that seeks to delight its shoppers. āWe want to push the boundaries of creativity to surprise our customers,ā says Oliveri. As for whatās next? Only time will tell.