Fendi launched its first ready-to-wear collection in 1977. The move expanded the Roman house beyond its long-established reputation for fur, leather goods, and accessories.
Karl Lagerfeld, who had joined Fendi in 1965, played a central creative role in modernizing the brand. His approach treated fur as a flexible fashion material rather than a formal, highly restricted luxury. That design experimentation helped create the conditions for Fendi’s entry into broader clothing collections.
The 1977 milestone is sometimes confused with other firsts in Fendi’s history. The company presented its first high-fashion collection in 1966, while its first commercial fur line appeared in 1969. Ready-to-wear refers specifically to clothing produced in standard sizes for direct retail sale, rather than made-to-measure couture.
The collection also marked an important step in Fendi’s transformation from a family-run Roman shop into a full fashion house. Later decades brought perfumes, eyewear, home furnishings, menswear, and iconic leather accessories such as the Baguette bag, introduced in 1997.