FENDI has turned Rome into a live classroom for the future of luxury retail, hosting the FENDI Retail Seminar 2026 and bringing together more than 300 talents from around the world to align on how the Maison wants to serve clients tomorrow. Set against the monumental Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana and other landmark locations in the Eternal City, the multi day programme blended heritage and experimentation in a way that mirrors FENDI’s own identity.
Rome as the stage for retail’s next chapter
Over the past days, Rome effectively became the stage for the seminar, with sessions centered at Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, FENDI’s striking headquarters in the EUR district, and extended into some of the city’s most emblematic spots. The setting was intentional: participants were immersed in the Maison’s Roman roots, from architecture and archives to contemporary culture, while discussing how to translate that spirit into stores worldwide.
This backdrop underlined the balance FENDI wants to project in its retail vision: heritage and innovation, craftsmanship and contemporary elegance, all held together by a strong sense of place. Rome was not just the venue; it was part of the curriculum.
300 plus talents, one global retail community
The seminar gathered over 300 retail talents from across FENDI’s global network, representing regions, roles and store formats. For many, it was a rare chance to connect face to face across continents and functions, turning what could have been a top down conference into a genuine community moment.
Brand posts and participant updates emphasise that the event was “more than a seminar,” describing it as a powerful opportunity to strengthen the FENDI worldwide retail community and to align on a shared ambition for the next phase of growth.
“Less I, more us”: full team engagement
Internal communications around the Fendi Worldwide Retail Seminar 2026 use the line “Less I, more us” to capture the shift from individual performance to collective excellence. Sessions stressed that exceptional client experiences are built by whole teams, from store directors and stylists to stock, visual merchandisers and back office.
By sharing best practices, role plays and cross market case studies, the seminar aimed to give everyone a clearer view of how their contribution fits into the bigger picture of Retail Excellence. The message: the future of luxury retail at FENDI depends as much on human connection and internal culture as on product or store design.
Honouring heritage while looking ahead
Throughout the programme, FENDI’s Roman and Italian heritage remained a constant reference point: the craft of fur and leather, the Maison’s relationship with cinema and architecture, and its role as a symbol of Made in Italy creativity. At the same time, discussions looked outward to the challenges and opportunities of today’s market new client expectations, omnichannel journeys, and the need for agility in a fast changing landscape.
The seminar closed with a clear sense of direction: FENDI’s retail teams left Rome with renewed confidence in the brand’s values of creativity, excellence and human connection, and a shared mandate to evolve retail competencies while keeping those values at the core of every client interaction.
