Fendi is bridging its heritage with its future by hosting its latest haute couture show in Rome, the brand’s birthplace. The event serves as both a homecoming for designer Maria Grazia Chiuri and a formal tribute to the late Karl Lagerfeld, who directed the house for over five decades. The exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art marks a significant evolution in how fashion is perceived within cultural institutions.
A Homecoming for Maria Grazia Chiuri
The choice to stage the show in Rome, rather than the traditional fashion capital of Milan, underscores Fendi’s commitment to its roots. This event marks Maria Grazia Chiuri’s first haute couture show for the house since her appointment last October. According to the brand, Chiuri began her career in the accessories department under the mentorship of Karl Lagerfeld.
Chiuri has publicly stated her intention to honor those who shaped her early career, specifically the Fendi sisters and Lagerfeld. Her return to the brand follows prominent tenures at Valentino and Dior, where she became the first woman to lead the creative direction of the latter.
Fendi was established in Rome in 1925. The brand has been under the ownership of the French conglomerate LVMH since 2001.
The Legacy of Karl Lagerfeld and the 1985 Scandal
The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art is hosting a reprise of the 1985 exhibition, “After steps through work. Fendi/Karl Lagerfeld 1985.” The exhibition, which runs through October 25, offers a detailed look at the craftsmanship involved in haute couture.
The original 1985 showcase at the same museum was a point of contention. As Silvia Venturini Fendi, the brand’s honorary president, noted in a previous interview with Vogue, the exhibition sparked a parliamentary debate. Critics at the time were divided on whether fashion belonged within the walls of an art institution. Today, the integration of fashion into museums is standard practice, cementing its status as a recognized art form.
The Future of Fashion and Institutional Collaboration
By partnering with the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art—which houses an extensive collection of works by artists like Giorgio de Chirico and Amedeo Modigliani—Fendi is aligning its couture identity with the broader canon of Italian art history.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Fendi host its show in Rome instead of Milan?
- Rome is the city where Fendi was founded in 1925. The move serves as a tribute to the brand’s history and its longtime creative director, Karl Lagerfeld.
- What is the significance of the 1985 exhibition?
- The 1985 show was a landmark event that challenged the status quo by bringing fashion into a fine art museum, a move that was controversial at the time but is now widely accepted.
- Is Maria Grazia Chiuri a new designer for Fendi?
- Chiuri was appointed to her current role in October of last year, though she previously worked at the house early in her career under Lagerfeld.
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