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Going behind the scenes of one of the most prestigious Italian Fashion Houses, it’s truly a female-led family affair. Fendi is where fashion and family coincide. The women who have been passed down the Fendi name also have had their hands in the iconic brand’s success. The brand known for its history mastering furs, ready-to-wear, luxury handbags, and accessories has never been run by a man who shared the Fendi name as it has all been sisters, daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters of this woman-dominated family tree.

The power within the name and the skill of the Fendi women would lead them to great success, but with the title comes great responsibility and artistry. It gets harder for the next generation of Fendi’s to make the monumental strides that the women before them have made, but they are doing it. As quoted by the Washington Post from an article dated back to 1987, “It takes all five of them to substitute for their mother”. Fendi granddaughter, Maria Teresa, admits it may take Adele’s eleven grandchildren to make up for the five sisters. In 2024, only one grandchild remains within the brand, but she has made enormous strides for the Fendi name.

This family matriarch all started with Adele Casagrande and a little fur and leather shop. And after the passing of husband Edoardo Fendi, their five daughters, Paola, Franca, Carla, Alda, and Anna, would all begin to branch off and contribute to the company based on their inclinations and what came naturally to them. Later on in life, these same inclinations would help to benefit their city and culture as a whole.

Casagrande started her daughters into the fashion empire by bringing them into the studio as babies in bassinets, but setting them up to run the Fendi legacy. And years after the sisters had their hand in the company, so would their daughters and so on. Each Fendi woman has their own story that touches the bigger picture of what this Italian Fashion House was built on.

ADELE CASAGRANDE
Founder and Mother

Adele Casagrande was born in 1897 and always had a love for designing. At the young age of 21 in 1918, she opened a fur and leather shop in Via del Plebiscito in central Rome. The boutique gained significant popularity for its handbags and furs.

In 1925, Adele went on to marry Edoardo Fendi. Shortly after their marriage, the couple decided to rename the fur and leather shop Fendi. The Fendi’s would then have five creative and intellectual daughters, Paola, Franca, Carla, Alda, and Anna, who would help bloom their business through history in the coming years.

Business and their long list of loyal clientele continued to grow, meaning it was time to expand. In 1938, Edoardo and Adele decided they would open up their second shop in Rome. A few years later, in 1946, Edoardo Fendi passed. Their five daughters would soon step in to help their mother. Each taking ownership of various parts of the company based on their skill sets, furthering their success.

Adele Casagrande was more than just the founder of Fendi; she was the mother to the brand and her daughters. She taught them the way of the business and where they all fit into the puzzle.

The daughters spoke highly of their mother and her work ethic. Adele was the foundation for the brand. She built it fur by fur and bag by bag from the ground up. And always emphasized quality and heritage for her clientele.

She raised five resilient and innovative daughters to pass her legacy down to. She even allowed for opportunities for their husbands to work for another family member’s small leather goods shop. Adele made sure to take care of her family, and by doing so, she also was taking care of the Fendi legacy.

PAOLA FENDI
Fur Specialist and Daughter

Paola Fendi, the oldest of the five sisters, was the first to step into the family business at 15 in 1946, shortly after her father’s death. While reminiscing with the Washington Post, she recalled “watching her mother hide behind the curtains of the store window to listen to the reactions of passers-by” and her father and mother going for evening walks to watch people outside their store.

Buying and treating furs piqued Paola’s interest the most in the business. And with this, she became one of the top specialists in the field. She knew how to manufacture, tan and dye furs, and revolutionized the male-dominated sector. She was very particular about the Fendi furs. Only the highest quality furs would do, so they would only source from ranch-grown animals.

Paola went on to marry Ciro Saracino, who was a manager of Fendi’s legal and administrative office. They had two children together, Alessandro and Simona.

The growth and curation of the furs and leather sector of the brand were heavily impacted by Paola. She was innovative and wasn’t afraid to assert her knowledge on treating skins and furs when working in a male-centric space. Her sister, Alda, was quoted about men’s reactions towards Paola’s requests, “When she told them to dye sable, they were aghast. And when she wanted furs worked like ribbons….” Paola greatly contributed to the history of Fendi’s original success within furs. She also broke down barriers for women to move within the fur trade space freely.

FRANCA FENDI
Head Buyer, Store Manager, and Daughter

Franca Fendi’s introduction to the business was through helping her mother with the leather goods. She explored many aspects of the company, from selling products to sewing but ultimately settled within buying and managing for the Via Borgognona store.

Luigi Formilli, her husband, was the head of export for the Fendi brand, and they had three children together in Rome. In October of 2018, Franca would publish a book about her life and love story with her husband Luigi entitled Sei con me. In the book, she describes the fairytale of her life and love. And dives into what it was like being raised by a caring and hardworking father in the shadows and an authoritative mother during World War II. What was just supposed to be for her grandchildren, became an opportunity for the world to see the beauty behind the name and the family.

Franca was the hands at the front line of the business. She had a fascination with many aspects of the company, but, in the end, wanted to support where she could best contribute to the brand’s success. Franca knew how beautiful she and her family’s story was and decided to share it with the world. Giving a bit more to imagine about the Fendi brand and where it all started, and that is with family.

CARLA FENDI
Account Director, President, and Daughter

Carla Fendi began working alongside her family at 17. Unlike many of her sisters who focused on designing, Carla concentrated on promoting and marketing the fur and leather shop. Throughout its history, as the Fendi name became nationally known, Carla became the President and the face of the Italian Fashion House up until 2008.

Giving back to the city that lifted her and her family was very important to Carla. She was recognized by Italy’s minister of culture, Dario Franchescini, for her philanthropic efforts. She started the Carla Fendi Foundation and was one of the major donors to the restoration of Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain.

Candido Speroni, her husband and a chemist, also worked for Fendi, selecting leathers and finished accessories.

Carla was a big part of the expansion and recognition that Fendi gained. She was the most organized of her sisters and had even been given the nickname “the general” by Karl Largerfeld. Carla’s touch on the Fendi brand allowed the company to have a platform and gain worldwide recognition. She put herself and her sisters in all the right rooms to maximize her family brand’s visibility.

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ALDA FENDI
Director of Furs Atelier & Daughter

Alda Fendi was the youngest and began working alongside her sisters in the leather goods area at 18. She would later become the Director of the fur ateliers and workshops.

Outside of working for the family business, Alda always dreamed of establishing a foundation entirely self-started on her own account and she did just that. She wanted to give back to her culture, a fact she emphasized in an article with Forbes where she noted the importance of showing love for your country.

The foundation’s six-floor gallery allows for all spaces to be utilized as impromptu platforms. There are visual and sound installations along with interactive touch screens. Alda’s Foundation states, “It is not a program, but an ever-evolving work of art to the eye of the attentive and ever-changing public.” The exhibit allows for maximum creative ability.

Alda was married to Ignazio Caruso, an orthopedic physician and the only Fendi husband who didn’t work for the brand during its history. They have two daughters, Giovanna and Alessia.

When it came to the brand’s success, Alda was a piece of her family legacy’s puzzle. She also continues her personal legacy by supporting her community and bringing attention to her culture. She believes it is important to give artists in her community opportunities to show their work and amplify their voices.

ANNA FENDI
Head of Development & Licensing and Daughter

Anna Fendi followed in her sisters’ footsteps and began working full-time for the family brand shortly after finishing her studies. Anna was said to have been the most creative of her sisters and would later specialize in baggage and luggage.

Her biography states, “Anna revolutionized the leather and accessories sector by brainstorming both new materials and manufacturing concepts for the new lines. She in particular re-thinks handbags by destructuring them and adding an innovative softness.” She would become Fendi’s Executive Director for bags and leather and Head of Development and Licensing.

Under her creative eye, Anna incorporated casual ready-to-wear into the Fendi brand DNA. She was constantly scouting for new innovative ways to evolve the brand. While also looking for the latest materials or manufacturing methods. She also worked closely alongside the design process. She kept a sharp eye on the colors, fabrics, furs, intricate techniques, and much more.

Anna married Giulio Venturini, who passed away in 1976. They had three children together, Maria, Silvia, and Ilaria. Their daughter Silvia would go on to make huge strides for the Fendi brand history in later years.

With Anna, the Fendi brand history stayed ever-evolving and innovative. Her keen eye for materials permitted her to curate pieces that were fresh and unique. She touched the brand in a way that made for timeless pieces that stood against the rest. Her creativity ran so deep that even her daughter, Silvia, was inspired to pursue the Fendi legacy and would go on to break barriers for the brand in her own right.

Anna was a part of what made the beloved Fendi aesthetic what we know today. She also shares her eye for beauty in her personal endeavors by creating her signature wines, custom-designed dishware, wedding planning, and even owning a hotel in Rome called the Villa Laetitia. Her creative eye truly has no limits.

SILVIA VENTURINI FENDI
Current Creative Director of Accessories, Menswear & Childrenswear and Granddaughter

Daughter of Anna Fendi, and a third-generation contributor to the inherited family brand history, Silvia Venturini Fendi is the last remaining family member to the Fendi sisters’ bloodline still in connection with the brand.

Silvia grew up watching her mother Anna work her creative magic on the brand. Along with the legendary Karl Largerfeld, Fendi’s Artistic Director until his passing in February of 2019, who made the brand an international success. Silvia went to school in both Italy and London and learned a broad scope of varying components of the Fendi brand. She went on to make major strides in continuing the legacy of women within the Fendi brand.

Alongside Karl, Silvia would oversee shows and advise on creative direction. She created the Fendi Baguette bag, founded in 1997 and made famous by its appearance in the TV show Sex and the City. By its 15th anniversary, the bag had more than 1000 versions, many created through artist collaborations. Further, in 2021, Silvia expanded the story of this iconic bag by starting the Hand-in-Hand project as a way to honor Italian craftsmanship. For the project, local artisans from each of Italy’s 20 regions reimagined the Baguette bag as precious limited-editions using lost artisanal techniques.

Silvia is married to Bernard Delettrez, a well-known jewelry designer. The designing duo has two children together, Delfina, and Giulio. Delfina has also picked up on the family’s creative gene and is pursuing design work outside of Fendi, making jewelry under her self-named brand.

As the last woman standing within the female-led fashion house, Silvia is finding new ways to inspire the Fendi history while keeping family and culture at the forefront of her purpose. She continues to push the brands’ creative abilities while giving back to her community. She touches many with her piece of the story and the fine detail that goes into every Fendi product.

Words by Jailynn Taylor
Feature Image: The five Fendi Sisters in their Atelier, 1977. From left to right Alda, Paola, Franca, Carla, and Anna. (Photo by AGF/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Article Originally Appeared in Love Happens ‘The Human Touch’ Print Edition
Explore More of ‘The Human Touch’ Edition

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