Fendi forced into U-turn on Roma Pride

Fendi, the Italian fashion company, has been forced into a public U-turn over the use of images of its headquarters in a campaign promoting Rome’s Pride parade. Initially, Fendi threatened to sue LGBT group Roma Pride 2016 and demanded that all images of its headquarters be removed from the campaign. However, the fashion house later issued a statement in conjunction with Roma Pride expressing support for the use of the images, the parade and “the whole LGBTQI community”. Fendi’s headquarters are located in the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, a building built during the era of Mussolini which is still used in rightwing propaganda. Last year, another Italian fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana, caused controversy after criticising same-sex parents and IVF.

Fendi has been forced into an embarrassing U-turn after threatening to sue one of Italy’s leading LGBT rights groups over an advertising campaign in which the activists used the Italian fashion house’s new headquarters to promote Rome’s upcoming Pride parade.

Fendi had demanded that Roma Pride 2016 remove all images of the ad campaign from its website and social media networks immediately, and told the group to destroy all printed promotional material in which the headquarters, the famous Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, appeared.

Hours after the Guardian asked Fendi to comment on the row, however, it announced that it was changing course. When first contacted, a press official for Fendi in London said they were not aware of the situation, but the company later issued a joint statement with Roma Pride saying that it supported the parade and the use of its headquarters in the advertising campaign.

“Fendi has clarified the misunderstanding with Roma Pride by allowing the use of Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in the campaign, therefore supporting the Roma Pride 2016 demonstration,” the company said. It also said it was committed to “the whole LGBTQI community”.

The ads that caused the brief media storm feature campaigners who appear to be standing in front of the white marble building over the slogan “Who is not satisfied fights”. The ads do not mention Fendi.



The ads are provocative in part because the huge marble building was built under Benito Mussolini and is considered a symbol of Italy’s fascist era. It is still used in propaganda campaigns by rightwing and nationalist politicians who romanticise the dictator.

Fendi officially declared the building as its new headquarters last year after refurbishing it. It reportedly signed a 15-year lease in 2013 at an annual cost of about €2.8m (£2.2m). The property is owned by the Italian government and the city of Rome. At the time of the official opening last year, the company said its support for the building was an important symbol of its commitment to its native Rome.

Fendi’s chief executive, Pietro Beccari, told the Guardian in 2015 that the building was “beyond a discussion of politics” and declared it an aesthetic masterpiece.

In its letter to Roma Pride 2016 however, which the company has since disavowed, Fendi accused the organisers of using the image of the building inappropriately and claimed it was the only legitimate licence-holder.

“In the absence of [action] Fendi will reluctantly be forced to take any necessary legal action to get a prompt and complete protection of its rights and interests, as well as compensation for the damage that was done and is being done,” the company said in its first letter.

Before the matter was settled, Roma Pride said Fendi’s response was “incredulous” and that the building was a “symbol of the city”. It also suggested the fashion house was guilty of bigotry. “At this point we wonder whether by ‘inappropriate use’, Fendi is not alluding to the presence of people who belong to the LGBT community,” it said in a statement.

The row was reminiscent of a fight between LGBT rights’ supporters and another major fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana, after the designers Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana expressed opposition to gay couples having children. Elton John called for a boycott of the brand in response.