Adele Casagrande opened a leather and fur store in 1918 in Rome.  After her 1925 marriage to Edoardo Fendi, she decided to name the shop Fendi.  The business grew and several other shops opened.  Adele’s five daughters joined the family business.

In 1965 Fendi and designer Karl Lagerfeld joined forces.  Lagerfeld designed for Fendi, particularly focusing on new and innovative furs.  The label quickly became a status symbol in Europe and the United States.  Today Lagerfeld still designs Fendi’s fur and women’s collections. Carla Fendi is the only sister continually involved in Fendi.  Vuitton owns the majority of the company.