Triple F Fendi Duo Vintage Design Concept Arrives in Milan

MILAN — Triple F, the collectible vintage design concept developed by Federica Formilli Fendi, has arrived in Milan.

Formilli Fendi, who is the granddaughter of Fendi founders Adele and Edoardo, turned her passion for collecting into a business during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. In 2020 she started Triple F vintage design and collectible concept in Rome that runs on a consignment business model. Today, with her daughter Ginevra Piersanti Fendi, she is dedicated to recovering, rediscovering and reinterpreting cult pieces and high-end objects.

“My daughter wanted to be by my side…perhaps I transmitted my passion and the will to travel to markets all over the world,” Formilli Fendi said, noting that the two work together, scouting pieces in markets, visiting estates, meeting with private clients, and curating each new display for their collection of pieces.

On Friday, the duo unveiled the Triple F temporary space on Via Giannone 4 in Milan, which is hosted inside design and decor hub G Lab, a brand by Davide Grosso that specializes in iron-made objects and furniture.

The Milan space, situated near the city’s Parco Sempione, will be open until July. Inside and on display is a mix-and-match of tableware and home decor, as well as clothing and jewelry from various stages of the 20th century. Pieces include two 1970s Coronado armchairs by Tobia Scarpa and Afra Bianchin Scarpa, revived in rust velvet upholstery. Elsewhere the array includes a 1940s to ’50s brass and glass chandelier by Gio Ponti, a coffee table by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte with precious enamel and one-of-a-kind pieces by Piccoli Smalti, founded by architect and Italian designer Giovanna Ferrero Ventimiglia.

“For us, the most important thing is that each piece is high-quality, they don’t have to have a brand name,” Formilli Fendi said, pointing to a 19th-century Japanese engraved and hammered copper folding screen, mounted on lacquered wood.

The jewelry and clothing display is driven by the Fendi family’s heritage and eclectic taste. Bags by Roberta di Camerino, Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi Cavallerizza suede pieces from the ’80s and costume jewelry by Kenneth Jay Lane are among the selection. A floor-to-ceiling shelf houses items like antique tableware by Richard Ginori, Limoges porcelain pieces and a 1920s tea set to complete the home.

“The secret is mixing. Houses in one style aren’t something I like. It becomes more impersonal,” Formilli Fendi added.

Triple F, the name of which derives from Federica Formilli Fendi’s initials, is based in Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood in a historic building at Via delle Mantellate 15/A — a famed Roman address once transformed into a home and working studio by artists such as Cy Twombly, Gino De Dominicis, Maurizio Mochetti and Mario Schifano.  

Federica Formilli was the creative director of Fendissime, the diffusion line that was launched in 1987 and was later discontinued. Piersanti Fendi, 30, also followed in her family’s footsteps and worked for Valentino and Giambattista Valli. Since entering Triple F, she said she’s found her stride in the world of collectible design and fashion. In the process, she’s also developed her own aesthetic for interiors.

“I like a cleaner space, I prefer a few things, but good things,” she added.

In Milan the display will change every two months. “It’s like furnishing and decorating a house each time,” Piersanti Fendi said.