I had a wonderful experience the other day at Saks Fifth Avenue at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. Fendi just launched its pop-up, one-of-a-kind shop there, offering shoppers the chance to customize their own Selleria Collection handbags on site.
Customers can select vibrant and bold crocodile and alligator leathers, hardware, stitching and lining as well as up to six letters to monogram the inside of your purse with wedding anniversary dates, birth dates or initials. The handbags take four to six months to make because they are handmade and indestructible and range from $1,100 to $36,000. They also are shipped with special packaging.
I met designer Esther Di Sarno who divides her time between Italy and Miami. She shared with me the history of Fendi and how it was started in Rome in 1925 by Adele and Eduardo Fendi. The Fendis had five daughters who later took over the business. Today, daughter Silvia Venturini is the third-generation creative director. In the ’60s, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld came up with the logo for the purse line over dinner with the sisters. Meaning “Fun First,” the Fendi logo was the first to ever be included on designer purses!
I got to touch and feel the leather, play around with the tools used to make the bags and dream of, one day, owning one of these wonderfully crafted beauties. In the fall of this year, other select stores will carry the pop-up stores.
So, look out for those. I would like to thank Saks Fifth Avenue for the personal invitation. For further info, please visit www.fendi.com.
