Fendi has officially confirmed that Silvia Venturini Fendi is stepping down from her role as creative director to become the house’s Honorary President. The move closes a three-decade chapter in which Silvia shaped the brand’s modern identity in leather goods and led, in turn, accessories, menswear, and over the past year womenswear/couture after Kim Jones’s departure. A new creative setup will be announced “in due course.”
Why this is a big story
Because Fendi is entering a new era: the brand is reconfiguring its creative leadership after the centenary year, while Silvia moves from the studio to a heritage guardian role (Fendi Casa, craftsmanship, brand codes). The move aligns with the broader wave of changes at the helm of major luxury houses seeking renewed momentum in a more tempered market.
Who she is, in short
A third-generation member of the founding family, Silvia joined the company in the early ’90s and signed off on cult pieces (from the Baguette to the Peekaboo), steering Fendi toward a poetic pragmatism: tactile luxury that’s meant to be worn. In 2025, her SS26 collection in Milan read like a credible recap of that voice: colour, play, and atelier technique.
What changes, concretely
- New title: Honorary President, with a stated mission to protect and promote Fendi’s legacy.
- Day-to-day leadership: remains with the executive team (CEO Ramon Ros) until the upcoming creative configuration is revealed.
- What’s next: the industry awaits the structure/names (a single creative director or a multi-pole model across womenswear, menswear, accessories).
Why it matters beyond the headline
Because Fendi stands for Italy + craft + cult-followed accessories. If the incoming leadership keeps the DNA (leather, savoir-faire, sly humour) and adapts it to the now (launch rhythm, “talkable” products, immersive retail), the house can accelerate visibility without losing the credibility Silvia built.
Fendi, right now “at a glance”
- Silvia’s role: from studio -> Honorary President (custodian of identity).
- Her last runway: co-ed SS26 in Milan
- Up next: new creative director to be announced
