The Italian brand Fendi has financed one of the most visited artistic work of Rome: the Trevi Fountain. And do you know why?
This philanthropic act is a tribute to beauty, art, history and the Italian culture. Fendi, one of the most established and luxurious brands, was found in this beautiful and busy European capital. But for Fendi, the influence of Rome and the fountains doesn’t finish here.
‘Fendi for Fountains’ Project
As a tribute to the city which saw how this fashion maison appeared and as a way of returning all the beauty which serves as an inspiration, Fendi started an ambitious project for the restoration of some of the most emblematic fountains of the città back in 2013.
This cultural patronage, which is valued in over 2 million of euros, has allowed to restore the original splendor to the Trevi Fountain and the combination of the Quattro Fontane. Other Italian brands are also taking part in this project such as Bvlgari, which financed the restoration of the stairway of the famous Piazza di Spagna.
Inspiration to Karl Lagerfeld
The prestigious designer was inspired by the Fountain when he created an exhibition and a photography book called “The Glory of Water”. As Lagerfeld himself said, the fountains “glorify water which is the most important thing for human life”. The exhibition brought together 50 pictures taken by Fendi’s artistic director himself and which could be seen in many cities.
Fendi relation with fountains and water goes back to 1977 when a young Lagerfeld was designing his first collection for the Italian brand. For this special occasion, Fendi filmed the very first movie of history as a way of introducing a fashion collection. The short’s name, which only lasts two minutes, was “Histoire d’Eau” and here we can see a young woman dresses up with Fendi clothes who spent a her holidays in Rome. The short ends with the woman bathes in a fontana.
Trevi, Rome’s and Italian culture’s symbol
The città eterna has been the European cultural epicenter over the last centuries and now it is one of the worldwide fashion epicenters.
Fashion world has always been inspired by other disciplines like sculpture or painting so as a result, works of art will be created. And Rome is the perfect city for that: an authentic outdoor museum and an exciting and passionate social life. Who doesn’t remember the scene in which Anita Ekberg bathe in the Trevi Fountain on the movie La Dolce Vita?
Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita
Anouk Aimee in La Dolce Vita
We can enjoy now and once again the splendor of this unique monument by wearing a pair of sunglasses of the finest Italian style. However, we couldn’t bathe in the fontana like Anita Ekberg. We will have to resign ourselves with throwing a coin to and wait for the prophecy to be fulfill: come back to Rome and find the love of our life.