MILAN – Milan-based Luxury Living Group said Fendi, which originally terminated its agreement with Luxury Living Group in 2021, has returned and signed an agreement for the production of its home line.
In 2021, Fendi and Flos B&B Italia (formerly Design Holding) formed Fashion Furniture Design, or FF Design, to develop the Fendi Casa business.
Following the January departure of Flos B&B Italia’s chief executive officer, luxury veteran Daniel Lalonde, its new management has been focused on fortifying each firm in its portfolio before selling them off. Flos B&B Italia is home to heritage furnishing firms B&B Italia, Maxalto, Arclinea, Azucena, Audo Copenhagen and lighting firms Flos and Louis Poulsen.
In 2021, Fendi and Design Holding formed Fashion Furniture Design, or FF Design, to develop the Fendi Casa business.
“With a continued focus on creativity and design innovation—hallmarks of the Fendi Casa identity—we look to the future with optimism and confidence as we pursue our ambitious goals on a global scale,” Fendi’s CEO Ramon Ros said in a statement. Fendi’s owner LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton appointed Ros as Fendi’s new CEO in April. Ros’ first day on the job was also Tuesday.
In February, a source told WWD that Luxury Living Group parent, Holland, Mich.-based Haworth — which also owns fellow furniture and lighting brands Poltrona Frau, Cappellini, Cassina, Janus et Cie, Luminaire, Ceccotti Collezioni, Karakter, Interni and Zanotta — made an offer of between 800 million euros and 1 billion euros for Flos B&B Italia’s entire furniture division. The furniture arm of the Italy-based conglomerate includes vanguard brands B&B Italia, Maxalto, Denmark-based Audo Copenhagen, Azucena and kitchen brand Arclinea. The offer was refused, as it was deemed too low.
The master bedroom inside the Fendi Casa Avenia apartments in Aventura, Fla.
Courtesy of Fendi Casa
Under the terms of the agreement, Luxury Living Group acquired full ownership of FFD (Fashion Furniture Design S.p.A.), including production and distribution rights for Fendi Casa products. Luxury Living Group produces interior design collections of a range of luxury labels that includes Versace Home, Trussardi and Bugatti.
Luxury Living Group is the Haworth Lifestyle Group company dedicated to the creation, production, and distribution of luxury brands in the furniture and lighting sector. It was founded in the 1980s by Alberto Vignatelli, is home to 300 employees and operates 12 directly managed stores worldwide and has a network of over 300 mono-brand or multi-brand distributors.
“This marks a happy return for Luxury Living Group,” the firm said, pointing out that Fendi unveiled its first collection of Fendi Casa Furniture in 1988 with Vignatelli, founder of Luxury Living Group.
Silvia Venturini told WWD in April that Fendi’s passion for home and interior design is deeply rooted and the projects she has spearheaded so far are testaments to her interest and curiosity. “I imagine the collections and where they could live, in which house, it’s natural for me, and it’s almost a cinematographic viewpoint,” the designer told WWD at the launch of the new Fendi Casa collection during Design Week here.
Over the years Venturini Fendi has worked with designers on several collections, building a relationship with the likes of Cristina Celestino, Chiara Andreatti and Peter Mabeo, always with research in mind.
Venturini Fendi underscored how the brand founded by her grandparents Adele and Edoardo Fendi was a pioneer in this segment, first launching a home collection in 1987. This was also reflected in the choice to support Design Miami for the past 17 years since the first edition, she said.
Looking ahead, Luxury Living Group CEO Andrea Gentilini said the company will be focused on helping the brand reach its maximum potential. “We are welcoming back a brand that is deeply embedded in our identity—one to which we owe a great deal and remain profoundly connected. Our team is fully committed to elevating Fendi Casa to the level of excellence it deserves.”
DANIELE LA MALFA/COURTESY PHOTO
Flos B&B Italia was founded in 2018. Funds Investindustrial and the Carlyle Group formed the holding company under the name Design Holding. On Friday, the firm’s executive chairman Piero Gandini said the idea from the beginning on the part of the funds was to exit, he explained.
“What I’ve agreed with the investors is that as we stabilize each business, they can sell them according to their model. We’ll do this company by company, based on readiness and quality,” Gandini said. He added that some investors might want to buy two businesses “because there are two Danish brands,” he said, directly referring to Copenhagen-based Audo Copenhagen and Louis Poulsen. The interview was published on Milan-based consultancy Pambianco’s website on Friday.
Flos B&B Italia is Italy’s biggest luxury design firm by sales. In 2024, Flos B&B Italia posted 768 million euros in sales, down from 867.6 million in 2022.
