TALKING TREE: It’s confirmed. Penelope Tree is going to Fendi. The Sixties model-turned-novelist will be walking in the Fendi show in Milan on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Tree, who published her first novel “Piece of My Heart” (Moonflower) last year, made her fall 2025 runway debut at Richard Quinn’s show wearing a very Sixties look – an embellished A-line shirt dress with a creamy rosette at the neck, black tights and flats.
“I admire the designer so much – it’s been so great to work with him. I’ve been very lucky,” said Tree, whose signature look hasn’t changed much over the years, long-ish hair with bangs framing large, lined eyes and high cheek bones.
Quinn said he asked Tree to walk because “I am a huge Sixties fan, and in my earlier collections I really leaned into that.
“I’ve always loved the photography from the Sixties, too, and she’s always been an icon – even when I was studying art,” as a teenager. “I’ve always referenced those black-and-white images, so it’s kind of a dream to have her here,” he said.
Tree, who worked in publishing before meeting David Bailey, and pursuing a modelling career, said she’s researching her second novel.
“I’m not going to tell you what it’s about. I can’t tell anybody that because then I wouldn’t be able to write it,” she said with her slight American accent. Tree was born in New York to the American socialite Marietta Peabody and Ronald Tree, a British politician and former Member of Parliament.
While she couldn’t talk about the new book, she did confirm that her next modelling gig is Fendi later this week. It won’t be the first time. “I’ve modeled for them before, around four years ago,” said Tree as she dashed off to have her picture taken with Quinn’s models.
Tree, who lives between the U.S. and the U.K. also devotes her time to charity work as vice president of Lotus Outreach, a nonprofit that works with marginalized women and children in India and Cambodia.
