This company began as a boutique and leather shop and was opened in Rome in 1918 by Edoardo and Adele Fendi, whose retailing concept was to bring the opportunity to purchase furs to a wide variety of social classes. Daughters Paola (1931- ), Anna (1933- ), Franca (1935- ), Carla (1937- ), and Alda (1940- ) are credited with making the Fendi label known throughout the world. For numerous years Karl Lagerfeld had been the designer name behind the Fendi brand responsible for the leather and fur creations. In 1977, the company introduced a ready-to-wear line and, in 1985, it launched a perfume. At the turn of the century, the company still maintained its hold in the accessories market where it all began.
Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. Francesca Sterlacci and Joanne Arbuckle.