A workshop inside headquarters
Certain things simply make sense. Spaghetti and meatballs. Blue skies on a sunny day. The synergy of Rome and Fendi—the majestic city pulsing with the formidable fashion house’s presence. A recent guided tour leads me across the Italian city to see, from an insider’s perspective, Fendi’s initiatives to clean and restore many of the prized fountains, which are as essential to Rome’s history as they are to its beauty. The 2015 reveal of a restored Trevi Fountain was made even more momentous when Karl Lagerfeld staged a July 2016 Fendi show on its waters—a first for the fabled fountain and for the house. I toss a euro in the crystal waters for good luck and stare, dazzled, as I recall the show. This attention to detail, coupled with the love of its Roman hometown, was a poetic backdrop for the unveiling of Fendi’s new timepiece.
A display modeled after Fendi’s Rome headquarters shows off the new watches
With roots as far back as 1925, Fendi is known for its showstopping furs, covetable bags and droolworthy ready-to-wear collections. In 1988, Fendi entered the world of watchmaking and has created iconic designs—combining the best of the Fendi DNA with Swiss-watch precision and expertise—ever since. The newly debuted Forever Fendi timepieces are the perfect finishing touch for a look that’s classic yet utterly contemporary. The standout, perhaps, is the bracelet, which draws on Fendi’s distinct interlocking FF logo, but my eye is drawn to the numerous versions of the dial. I witness firsthand at a temporary setup in the famed Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana headquarters as an artisan painstakingly assembles a mother-of-pearl face that, from start to finish, takes several hours alone. Other iterations include genuine stone or light-catching lacquer. The glamour of diamonds (65 to be exact) can be incorporated to add the right amount of glitz. And, should you decide to go for a dip, the Forever Fendi watches are water-resistant up to 30 meters. The brand’s latest addition proves once again that tradition and ingenuity coupled with design and technique is always in fashion.
Photography by: fendi
