Lauren

As part of our second year on FMB we visited the core luxury Italian fashion houses, most notably Fendi. Starting off in 1925 as a small fur and leather goods store, Fendi has transformed itself into a multinational luxury status brand with Karl Lagerfield as its creative director. Just seconds from the famous Spanish steps lays Fendi’s flagship store is in keeping with Italian culture and tradition on the outside, occupying a building that used to be owned by a famous Italian family. In 2005 the architect Peter Marino celebrated Fendi’s 80^th anniversary by unveiling its new flagship store playing on the brands tradition and heritage, still keeping the iconic chandelier in the stairway.

The layout of the store plays homage to the brands key USP’s; with a dedicated room to their iconic fur coats where we were shown how the different pieces of fur materials were selected by hand based on their shape and colour, then sewn together onto a mannequin shaped to the consumers body match perfectly. We also got to try on some of the runway jackets, even the most unique 120,000 euro one where the fur was laced with gold!  As you walk into the store you are greeted by a large room dedicated to leather handbags and accessories, another of Fendi’s USP’s.  The latest of their most sought after handbags is the “peekaboo”, which often creates a fuss when customers are told that they have to wait several months for it to be handmade for them.  As well as having it made in different materials and colours, customers can get a personal message etched inside, all of which conveys Fendi’s understanding of its status in the luxury goods market; it is not always the price tag that is most significant, it is the exclusiveness of their unique product.

Visiting this fashion house has lead us to a better understanding of how the luxury market runs behind consumer eyes and how they target potential consumers with their unique goods. Additionally, we can see how they use their strong sense of heritage to their advantage, how playing on their most prestigious aspects such as fur and the peekaboo bag can keep consumers coming back for more, whatever the price tag!

Basia

Visiting Fendi was a great experience for me, when we first entered the store I was stunned by the glamour and sophistication the whole place was filled with. The lady that was a head of PR walked us around the store and explained the reasons for the interior design and visual merchandising, which was very interesting how the architect tried to keep the original look of the building that was built in 1800’s throughout the store, but at the same time make it 21^st century.

We moved onto the fur coats section where one of the staff members started explaining how their fur coats are made and how much effort goes into them. First there is an initial design, then a paper mock of a jacket which can then be made out of fur. Every design has to be confirmed by Karl Lagerfeld.

 I had a pleasure of wearing one of the fur jackets, it was golden coated and was priced at 160,000 Euro...definitely the most expensive thing I’ve had on me. The quality of all the fur coats is amazing; however they are not very popular in Britain as a lot of people are against real fur.

Overall the whole Fendi experience was great and it gave me a lot of knowledge that can be used in the industry I want to work at in the future. 

Jane

Visiting the Fendi headquarters in Rome provided fellow FMB students and myself with an exclusive insight into the world of luxury fashion retail. Firstly the structural design of the 19^th century Palazzo Fendi resonates with the concept of beauty, exclusivity and luxury. The minimal window displays juxtaposed the lavishness and detail of the 19^th century mansion. 

Once welcomed inside we were able to admire the interior décor. Created by interior designer Peter Marino the building emulated a mixture of Italian style, French grandeur and American eclecticism. It consisted of dark carved wood, a grand chandelier and a sky roof. Traditional Roman architecture was channeled throughout the building with the use local travertine and San Pietrini stones which contrasted nicely with the modern fluid lines found throughout the rest of the store. Fendi uses the concept of rooms to showcase their individual collections, which continues the exterior theme of a grand country home. This store concept is a current trend in retail architecture as which we observed in our trip to Rome in the Belstaff and Burberry stores.

The intrinsic detail interiorly and architecturally was also reflected in the development of their iconic fur coats. We were privileged in having a detailed presentation about the development of the Fendi fur coats. From the design process to their significant value, we were given access to everything you need to know about Fendi fur. Karl Lagerfeld’s design sketches were displayed for us to be in awe of and to make the experience even better we were given the opportunity to try on the fur coats. The soft, sumptuous feel of the coats has even made me consider saving the pounds (£101,000 to be exact!) to get my hands on one.

Navreet

From the breathtaking architectural detail within the building and key location in Rome’s busy shopping district, Fendi is central to all things fabulous, couture and luxurious.

The window displays are simple yet chic, with minimal products and a basic backdrop. Although from looking back to the images taken of these displays, the reflection of the stunning buildings opposite the Fendi building is exceptionally visible in each and every window display. This may have been an element Fendi have taken into consideration when designing these displays as they have this beautiful, natural reflection of the city that Fendi was born in. Adjusting its displays to compliment the reflection seems somewhat symbolic and ties in well with the heritage and roots that lie within the Fendi family.

The inside of the store emit’s a lush, warm and exclusive environment. From the soft, earth tone carpets to the in-store design and layout created by the remarkable architect Peter Marino. We were greeted by welcoming members of the Fendi family and were given a tour of their stunning store. As well as an insight on the history of the brand and a brief introduction of the various departments within the house of Fendi; we were lucky enough to experience what it felt like to wear the finest fur coats; an area of which Fendi are experts in. We were also given a talk from an insightful women working as part of the fur department; she explained how complex the construction of the garments really are and elaborated on the processes involved from the design to end product.

The experience and insight to the Fendi brand was unforgettable. The knowledge gained is something one cannot learn from a book, the talks were inspirational and the architectural design, in store and outdoor were breathtaking.

Rebecca

Since Edoardo and Adele Fendi opened a small leather and fur store in the centre of Rome in 1925, the brand Fendi has gone from strength to strength, clearly visible within the elaborate and decadent flagship store, just seconds from the legendary Spanish Steps.

The architectural details of the city, that are so symbolic of Rome, are innovatively mirrored throughout the store thanks to the prestigious architect Peter Marino, merging tradition and modernity to create a true brand emblem.

Arriving at Palazzo Fendi, we were presented with not only the history of the prestigious Italian brand, but also the history of Rome. The 19^th century neoclassicalpalace, originally known as Palazzo Boncompahni, is in one of the most prestigious area of the mythical city, and at the point where old and new Rome fuse together effortlessly. Marino chose to craft the store interior from traditional materials, used in a contemporary style, incorporating the cultural richness and historical past of the brand, whilst still highlighting the need for Fendi to look towards the future.

Upon entering the store, you are struck by the travertine stones on the ceilings, suspended in air, creating a path for the consumer to subconsciously follow, whilst the floor is created from lava stones, in classic Fendi tones, playing with greys and intense golds, combined with the typical Roman San Pietrini stone. These traditional features are offset by capturing futuristic touches, such as the glass chandelier and silver staircase. Fendi even uses video projections in store, underlining the importance of the baguette bag, and the use of fur, both of which have been key in redefining the brand image.

A place of contrasts, traditions and unbelievable designs, Fendi, and the work of Peter Marino, definitely lived up to expectations. 

Rebecca. J

The Fendi experience was amazing for us as a group of Fashion Marketing and Branding students. Being welcomed into the headquarters of the multinational brand owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey was a great privilege. Representatives from the company provided vast amounts of information and a detailed insight into many aspects of the hugely successful brand.

Upon arrival the aura of the brand was presented through luxurious interior architecture and design, a core characteristic of such a reputable brand.

 

What became well established throughout our tour of the building and lessons regarding all that takes place there, was how a luxury brand deserves its vast following and it’s freedom to charge at whatever price they see fit. The visit allowed for identification of how a luxury company warrants its high status and in turn high revenue through the quality woven into every strand of the brand, providing them with customers who have high brand loyalties and are not price driven.

The brand best known for it’s ‘Baguette’ handbag, made famous in the late 1990’s saw Sex and the City fanatics watch as Sarah Jessica Parker wore the bag under her arm like a loaf of bread, placing the distinctive item at the forefront of consumer desirability, marking it as one of the most admired items of the 90’s. However today with changing consumer demands Fendi have to use more than the tool of the celebrity status to create desirability surrounding their goods – it was explained to us that with their ‘Peekaboo’ bag they achieve this through placing customers on a waiting list, heightening demand for the exclusive item as it is not readily available, a characteristic that is highly consumed the elitist shoppers.

Fendi excel in their Fur creation, standing as the leading provider in today’s controversial market. Experts at the Italian headquarters in Rome gave us an extensive description of how these garments are designed, created and finally purchased. Drawings by Karl Lagerfeld were admired by us all, illustrating the detail and sheer craftsmanship demanded in the creation of every single Fur item.

The tour and accompanying talk provided FMB2 with an added experience in Rome, allowing us to improve our understanding of the luxury branded world with relation to the global marketplace.

Josephine

As marketing and branding students visiting the Fendi store in Rome enabled us to fully understand the luxury market and how they can target their consumers. In particular it demonstrated to us the ethos and  detailed workmanship that goes into every garment and accessories they make. The head of Fur at Fendi gave us an interesting and insightful talk about the workmanship that goes into everyone of their famous fur coats. She showed us beautiful drawings by Karl Lagerfeld and the interesting process from illustration to garment.

 We were then given the privilege of trying the luxurious coats on ourselves. After the excitement of trying on the coats (ranging from 11-120,000 Euro!) we were shown some of their accessories, in particular their famous ‘Peekaboo bag’. They explained that their price tag is insignificant to their  well-off consumers but allure them in by using a waiting list in which a person may have to wait several months before they can have their own customised Peekaboo bag. This, creates  a sense of status and superiority to the brand and the product itself. Additionally, the guided tour around Fendi also taught us about the heritage of Fendi and about the  beautiful and grand building itself, which at the time, really helped us with our Barbour project, demonstrating the importance of heritage within a brand and how it can be developed within different markets in order to attract their target consumer.