Fendi was never going to arrive on Bond Street quietly. Recent years have seen Fendi doing very little quietly, something that I for one am extremely happy about. Between the megawatt advertising campaigns, “it” crowd fans and sell out bag bug charms adorning the arm candy of every fashion girl worth her sartorial salt, the Italian purveyor of all things luxurious is undeniably having a moment. Admittedly, Fendi has been periodically having “moments” for decades. The Baguette bag, the Spring/Summer 2008 show on the Great Wall of China, Vogue’s declaration in 1983 that “when you think the Fendis have taken fur as far as it can go… think again!” The brand has long had an element of unconventionality that no doubt accounts for its meteoric growth from small Roman leather goods shop and furrier in 1925 to global fashion empire coveted by dowagers, oligarchs and twenty something celebutantes alike. Add to that the fact that Fendi is still run by the 5 namesake sisters, with Karl Lagerfeld the honorary sixth Fendi having joined the label in 1965, there is undeniably something special about it. Then of course, there are the clothes and accessories themselves which continue to combine high luxury, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary irreverence so exquisitely it’s no surprise that Bont Street store launch was the hottest ticket it town on that drizzly Thursday evening.
Moi
Decked out in head to toe pink, I braved the rain and attracted a fair few bemused commuter stairs clattering along Piccadilly. The treats inside were certainly worth the journey. Seriously, I would sell my soul for one of those furs! Hell, even just for a furry Fendi key ring. Despite arriving a mere twenty minutes after the official kick off time, the place was already packed and would only get more so as the evening continued. After pausing to pose for the photographers while simultaneously trying to disguise the fact I appeared to have been dragged through a hedge backwards, grabbing a glass of champagne and locating Nik, it was time to explore the store. And what a store it is! There are a lot of fabulous fashion emporiums in this part of the world but Fendi’s flagship takes the proverbial cake. Sleek, modern and insanely spacious while still highlighting the time tested traditional techniques behind the brand’s creations and providing plenty of tucked away spaces for customers craving privacy. An hour or so later, Karl Lagerfeld would take up residence in one of these, that closest to the mind boggling fur room. Fendi’s Bond Street flagship does exactly what such a store should do; transports you far, far away from the chaos of central London and into the brand’s own world, a of unimaginable luxury, boundless creativity and quirky, old school charm.
Arizona Muse
Evangeline, Tanya & Bip Ling
Suki Waterhouse with Cara & Poppy Delevingne
Naturally there was more than just the store to ogle. There were the guests themselves! Think Lily Allen, Cara Delevingne, Naomi Campbell, Suki Waterhouse, David Gandy, Elisa Sednaoui and Tinie Tempah to name but a handful. I caught up with Whinnie Williams and Zara Martin as well as Brazilian beauties Victoria Ceridono – Beauty Editor for Vogue Brazil with an instagram feed to die for – and designer-to-know Barbara Casasola.
Lily Allen & Charlotte Stockdale
Naomi Campbell
Aluna Francis
Aside from being a prime opportunity for people watching and store exploring, this soirée was also a celebration of Fendi’s latest charitable endeavour, the Peekaboo Project. I don’t need to explain what a Peekaboo is to you. Since Silvia Venturini Fendi concocted the bag style back in 2009, it has become an obsession among women (and men) across the world. This project sees Fendi enlist a selection of powerful, iconic females to personalise their own Peekaboo with the results displayed in store throughout May. The creations of artist Tracey Emin, actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomie Harris, models Cara Delevingne, Jerry Hall and Georgia-May Jagger, architect Zaha Hadid, fashion illustrator Tanya Ling, singer Adele and journalist Kate Adie will also be auctioned online (here) throughout the month with all proceeds going to Kids Company. So if you needed an excuse to drop mega bucks on a one of a kind handbag, now is your moment my friends!
Love Ella. X
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