Through fragrance, Fendi family tells founding story

Italian fashion house Fendi is readying to drop a line of seven exclusive scents on June 20, 2024. Telling the story of the maison’s founding family through raw materials, each fragrance references a different point in their lives. Imagined by artistic directors Kim Jones, Silvia Venturini Fendi and Delfina Delettrez Fendi, the meaning-infused release brings together sensorial marketing and an assertion of heritage — the move could potentially boost loyalty and drive sales. “I think when you look at a luxury brand, there is a need to connect its past and nexus to the present, and its ultimate future as well,” said Kimmie Smith, cofounder and creative director ofAthleisure Mag, New York. “It's important to showcase those who are involved in the brand and the contributions that they have made that have allowed the brand to continue to be in the position that it is in today, so the ability to reimagine how we tell these stories and present them to customers and potential customers is always interesting to see,” Ms. Smith said. “I think Fendi's focus on family and chosen family is also a new way to showcase inclusivity; how people can lend their voice to something that they did not inherit by birthright, but by a passion and love for the brand that they have been invited into. “As a result, this feeling of belonging extends itself down to the bottles as their customers wear it or when those that engage with the brand hear about it.” Ms. Smith is not affiliated with Fendi, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

The Dolce Baccio scent is one of seven to encapsulate Fendi family memories. Image credit: Fendi

A family affair

In 1918, designer Adele Casagrande opened her leather goods and fur workshop in Rome. A few years later in 1925, the store would become the first Fendi boutique after she married her husband Edoardo Fendi. Their journey and that of their descendants is retraced with the latest fragrance collection, coming one year shy of the company’s centennial. Fendi’s olfactory products explore the Italian family’s memories and beloved places, from leather ateliers in Istanbul to the Ourika Valley in the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains. Collectively, the spritzes provide an original medium by which consumers can connect with the label, lending its products an emotional pull. Dolce Bacio, one of the seven offerings, has an ochre hue and smells like roses. Meaning “sweet kiss” in English, it references the way that Italian fashion designer Anna Fendi, mother of Silvia Venturini Fendi, would peck her daughter’s cheek. Perché No, or “why not,” captures the Fendi family’s weekend home, I Casali del Pino. Located in the Roman countryside, sunlit gardens and hanging laundry make for a breezy atmosphere.

Ciao Amore is named after the way Leonetta Luciano Fendi greets her friends. Image credit: Fendi

The Ourika Valley, where Delfina Delettrez Fendi has childhood memories, is kept in mind for Sempre Mio, or “always mine.” Situated outside Marrakesh, the Moroccan spot is a favorite sourcing location for others in the prestige perfume business, including France’s YSL Beauty (see story). “I wanted to talk about who I am, where I come from,” said Ms. Fendi, in a statement. “Sempre Mio is an intimate journey,” she said. “It’s the woman I am, the way I define myself.” La Baguette, with its blond color, conjures up visions of wheat and bread topped with butter and sugar. The snack is a favorite of Delfina Delettrez Fendi’s twin sons, Tazio and Dardo. She was pregnant with the two when she designed the namesake Baguette bag. As a result, she ties the purse to the idea of new generations.

Named after a Fendi it bag, La Baguette shares inspiration with the purse. Image credit: Fendi

The daughter of Silvia Venturini Fendi, Leonetta Luciano Fendi, is given the limelight for Ciao Amore. The solar notes homage her summer holidays spent on the island of Ponza, nestled between Rome and Naples. The aforementioned cofounder, Ms. Casagrande, leaves her mark with the eponymous Casa Grande. “The story is what drives people to luxury brands and when that story is supported by the heritage of the brand, where it started, where it is now and how it continues to drive their ethos forward, this maintains the relevancy of the brand,” Ms. Smith said. “It answers the questions of why this is a brand that I want to have or engage with, why it is worth spending X amount of dollars to have it, and why I want this inspirational and aspirational brand to be within my collections,” she said. “In answering those questions you understand the identity and the heritage and you see elements of yourself in those pieces — that is when you become aligned and want to curate additional pieces that speak this language, as it is now a shared experience. “It's a genius way of having fans of the brand being advocates since we tend to be very discerning when it comes to the fragrances that we wear.”

A nature art installation is paired with the scent that references Mr. Jones's childhood. Image credit: Fendi

Sensorial storytelling

The Fendi family’s lives are not the only ones celebrated by the brand with the drop, out a decade after the last fragrance project (see story). Mr. Jones gets his moment with Prima Terra, meaning “first land” in English. This seventh item evokes visions of Southern and Eastern Africa. The creative spent his childhood there, and today, the region continues to inspire his work. Mr. Jones shares that the notes pull from scents that remind him of this part of his life. This and more shapes an activation held inside the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, also known as the Colosseo Quadrato or “square colosseum,” the site of Fendi’s headquarters. The perfumes are staged around the space, paired with artistic installations that express the stories behind the collection. A new video grants international audiences a glimpse inside. Each of the seven scents is discussed with French documentarian and journalist Loïc Prigent. Often engaged in the world of luxury fashion, he is the host of the “Louis Vuitton ” podcast series (see story). With his Fendi project, Mr. Prigent is once again involved with an effort that focuses on history and culture. “The concept of taking a journey through the Fendi family by those that are part of the bloodline, as well as those that have become members of this luxury heritage as chosen members such as Kim Jones, illustrates how the voices and desires of these people have come together in order to infuse and inform the direction that this brand navigates through time, trends and beyond,” Ms. Smith said. “The fragrances give you a sense of the direction, passion and elements of points in time that allow consumers to get a more intimate feel of the brand,” she said. “The power of scent and memory is intertwined — sometimes when we think of something in our life, it is the scent that drives that feeling home. “The ability to wear someone else's journey in this way and to hear the story behind it is such an interesting way to get to know more about Fendi and to bring it into our own storytelling.”This article originally appeared onLuxuryDaily.com. Luxury Portfolio is pleased to bring you the latest trends and insider takes through our exclusive partnership with the go-to destination for luxury news.Subscribetoday.