Fendi Silk Jumpsuit

Like other major European luxury fashion houses, Fendi started small. Adele Casagrande was an Italian creative who loved fashion and sold leather and fur accessories from a tiny workshop she opened in Rome in 1918. However, after marrying Edoardo Fendi in 1925, her business model was altered dramatically. Together, the couple changed the boutique’s name to Fendi and moved into a bigger storefront, which quickly became the favorite shop of women all over Italy’s capital city for furs and leathers, such as handbags, coats and accessories.

As time moved on for Adele and Edoardo, the couple began to distribute more responsibility to their five daughters, who assumed management of the company during the 1950s. Fendi’s audience broadened and its profitability has soared over the years, owing to the brand’s fresh perspective on fashion world happenings and innovative sensibility. The maison also has a distinctive relationship with old-world Italian craftsmanship. The Selleria bags were the work of master saddlers in Rome, and Fendi partnered with lace artisans in southern Italy as well as craftsmen in the east trained in the intrecciato (intertwined) technique (an idea that Adele introduced during the 1940s), which, in Fendi’s case, sees an interwoven leather fabric integrated in the creation of its handbags, countering leather’s traditional rigidity with a bag that is soft, versatile and fitted with an alluring slouchy curve.

It wasn’t until 1965, however, when a young German designer named Karl Lagerfeld took the creative helm that Fendi became a world-renowned fashion house. In fact, Lagerfeld, who produced four to five collections yearly for the brand, is credited with creating Fendi’s instantly recognizable double-F logo (which stands for “Fun Furs”) in “less than five seconds.” Until Lagerfeld started designing for the brand, fur was a material mostly associated with heavy coats that few people actually wore. Lagerfeld reimagined fur in creative ways, using it as an accent on purses, cuffs on dress sleeves and collars on wool coats.

Over the ensuing years, Fendi has broken into the home-goods market with Fendi Casa and has become synonymous with luxury fashion, producing such pieces as the iconic Baguette, which was rendered ever popular on the television series Sex and the City. In fact, an entire episode during the third season was dedicated to the “original It bag,” a slim accessory tapered in a manner that recalls its namesake, designed in 1997 by Adele and Edoardo’s granddaughter Silvia Venturini Fendi, who was named creative director of accessories three years earlier.

Perhaps just as well known as its vintage Baguette handbags and creative use of fur is the brand’s devotion to its Italian roots. In 2013, Fendi donated more than 2 million euros to restore Rome’s Trevi Fountain, and when it was reopened to visitors, Fendi hosted its Autumn/Winter 2017 show on top of the landmark.

Fendi was a family-controlled brand until 1999 and is now owned by LVMH. In late 2020, British fashion designer Kim Jones was named the house’s artistic director for womens wear.

Find a wide variety of vintage Fendi handbags and purses, clothing and other accessories on 1stDibs.

Clothes are part of an individual’s identity. Personal style is a creative form of self-expression that can make a person feel comfortable and confident. From bell-bottoms and oversize tie-dye dresses to denim jackets and leather pants, the fashion world has changed greatly over the years. Still, many looks never go out of style, and certain vintage and designer suits, outfits and ensembles can prove just as timeless.

Think of heavy, warm sweaters: They immediately evoke a specific sensation of cold, winter mornings, hands cupped around a steaming mug of coffee or tea as fog rolls idly across the Irish moors. The design of Aran wool sweaters dates back generations, yet they remain in vogue today.

Then there are iconic fabrics, such as gingham. Originating in Asia, this fabric is known for its overlapping stripes. It was first imported to Europe in the 17th century and then was woven in 18th-century England — Manchester, specifically — where it was given the checked pattern with which it is associated today. It’s an enduringly popular choice for all types of ensembles, from vintage swimwear and rompers to three-piece suits.

Vintage and designer suits, outfits and ensembles convey style, whether dressing up or down.

From understated jumpsuits and vibrant knits to classy jackets and elegant skirts, a range of fashionable garments for any occasion can be found on 1stDibs. Browse clothing by leading designers like Chanel, Versace, Prada and many more today.