A Greener Fendi

Ethical fashion, doing more with fashion....

Just because something’s recycled doesn’t mean it has to look cheap or ugly, says the founder of Carmina Campus, a new line of totes, computer sleeves, and iPad covers made from reclaimed materials. Then again, she’s a Fendi. The youngest daughter of Anna, one of five Fendi sisters who transformed the family business into an international brand, Ilaria Venturini Fendi is using her clan’s artisanal approach to refashion castoff supplies into objects of exuberance and desire. Produced in Africa through the UN-sanctioned Ethical Fashion Programme, the line marries fine tailoring with leftover fabrics (including reclaimed safari tents, military blankets, and leather swatches) to reflect 
Venturini Fendi’s aspirations for a better world.

“The idea is that the word ‘ethical’ should no longer apply to just a niche,” Venturini Fendi says.
Its “STOP FGM” collection, for instance, campaigns against the practice of female genial mutilation, with a portion of proceeds earmarked for charity.