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.
Fendi Silver Ring
By Fendi
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Fendi silver tone ring with features on top of it the painting of a squirrel. This piece has a width of 1' and it is new. Size 6. It includes the original box.
Steel
Vintage Bohemian Red Garnet Gold Dome Cluster Ring
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Beautiful! Vintage Bohemian Red Garnet Gold Cluster Ring. Securely Hand set with 3.00tcw Bohemian Red Garnets. Hand crafted 14K Yellow Gold mounting. Measuring approx. 1” L x ...
Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage Ruby and Diamond Gold Cluster Ring
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Beautiful! Ruby and Diamond Cluster Ring. Hand set with Diamonds weighing approx. 0.48tcw and Rubies, approx. 0.90tcw. The ring is Hand crafted in 14K White Gold. Measuring ap...
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage Ruby and Diamond Gold Cocktail Ring Estate Fine Jewelry
Located in Montreal, QC
Beautiful Ruby and Diamond Cluster Ring, centering a Diamond weighing approx. 0.17 Carat surrounded by Rubies, approx. 1.36tcw. The ring is Hand crafted in 18K Yellow Gold. Measuring...
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage Tanzanite and Diamond Gold Cluster Ring Estate Fine Jewelry
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Beautiful! Striking! and Finely detailed Tanzanite and Diamond Cocktail Ring. Center Hand set with an oval Tanzanite, artfully surrounded by Tanzanite and Diamonds. Measuring ...
Diamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage Diamond and Ruby Gold Halo Ring
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Beautiful! Ruby and Diamond Gold Cluster Ring. Hand set with Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds, weighing approx. 0.55tcw and Rubies, approx. 0.96tcw. The ring is Hand crafted in 14...
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage Aquamarine and Diamond Gold Cluster Ring
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Beautiful! Aquamarine and Diamond Gold Vintage Cluster Ring. Securely Hand set with Aquamarine, weighing approx. 2.55tcw and accented by Diamonds, approx. 0.06tcw. Hand crafte...
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
18K White Gold and Diamond Pavé Dress Ring with Diamond Shoulders circa 1980s
Located in London, GB
Beautiful 18K white gold ring, featuring a 9 diamond pavé design, with 18 baguette diamonds and 40 round diamonds decorating the shoulders. Ring size UK M 1/2, US 6 1/4, inside dia...
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Neil Lane 14K White Gold Cluster .79 Total Weight Round Diamond Engagement Ring
By Neil Lane
Located in New York, NY
Diamond Engagement ring designed by Neil Lane finely crafted in 14 karat white gold featuring a princess cut diamond center weighing 0.26 carats approximately ranging I-J color, SI1-SI2 clarity adorned by 1 row of bead set diamonds creating a cluster of diamonds that showcase brilliance and fire. The ring has an additional 10 round diamonds going halfway down each side with very detailed scrollwork on the sides of the ring. Ring has been inspected and graded by the International Gemological Institute (IGI) . Fully hallmarked with designer logo and metal content. Ring Specifications Brand: Neil Lane Style: Cluster Hallmarks: 14K Neil Lane Metal: 14K White Gold Weight: 4.10 grams Finger Size: 7 ( Can be resized) Number of Diamonds: 47 Diamond Shape: Princess Cut Center Diamond Weight: 0.26 carats Diamond Color/Clarity: I-J/SI1-SI2 Side Diamond Carat Weight: 0.53 Side Diamond Color/Clarity: Total Diamond Weight: 0.79 carats Package Includes Original certificate from IGI Wooden Ring Box
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Yellow Diamond and Aquamarine Ring in 22 Karat Gold and 20 Karat Gold
By Pamela Farland
Located in New York, NY
Lotus flower inspired ring with a natural yellow rose cut Diamond weighing .55 carats and rose cut pear shaped Aquamarines weighing 2 carats. Aquamarin...
Aquamarine, Yellow Diamond, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
Shreve, Crump & Low 25.43 Carat Blue Sapphire Sapphire and Diamond Platinum Ring
By Shreve, Crump & Low
Located in Boston, MA
This sapphire and diamond cluster ring is offered by Shreve, Crump & Low. This cushion cut Royal Blue Ceylon sapphire is custom set in a handcrafted Shreve, Crump & Low one-of-kind ...
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
18 Karat Yellow Gold South Sea Tahitian Multi-Color Pearl Cluster Cocktail Ring
By Joon Han
Located in New York, NY
One-of-a-kind South Sea Tahitian cluster pearl ring with three different sizes (15, 12, 11 mm) of pearls in gorgeous hues of grey and rare fancy greens, handcrafted in 18 karat yello...
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold, Yel...
Cluster Ring with Six Sapphires-Florentine Finish-18k y.g.
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage 1960's cocktail or cluster ring with six sapphires and one cubic zirconia set in 18k yellow gold. The ring retains its original Florentine finish on the setting. This r...
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold