Riyadh’s luxury homeware market is no stranger to new openings and has now welcomed FENDI CASA.

Part of the FENDI brand, FENDI CASA has been operational for the past 30 years, but has recently reworked its image to be more aligned with the iconic brand.

Alberto Da Passano, the CEO of FENDI CASA, joined the brand in 2021, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a visionary approach to luxury home furnishings. Under his leadership, FENDI CASA has expanded its global footprint, most recently marking a significant milestone with the inauguration of its first store in Riyadh.

Known for blending timeless Italian elegance with modern design, Da Passano is focused on elevating the brand’s identity in the luxury lifestyle market. In this Q&A session, he discusses his journey as a leader, the challenges he faces, and his aspirations for the future of FENDI CASA.

1. You have a diverse background in luxury brands. How have your experiences at Gucci, YSL, and Moncler shaped your approach as CEO of FENDI CASA? 

I think the common ground is the love for beauty and for beautiful products and this has been apparent throughout my career in both fashion and now design. So I think that I am a lucky person because I have been able to work in fantastic brands my entire career that produce fantastic products, very high-end products. Being able to work surrounded by beauty has been an honor. 

2. What is your vision for FENDI CASA and how do you see it evolving in the next few years especially in the GCC? 

The vision for FENDI CASA that we had when we started the venture was to bring FENDI CASA more in-line and complete harmony with FENDI because FENDI CASA is not another brand it is part of FENDI and we saw in the past a progressive diversion between the two. They were not evolving in the same direction so the vision around that new venture is to make FENDI CASA an integral part of the FENDI brand as far as image is considered and the product, customer experience, and of course distribution. 

3. Opening a FENDI CASA store in Riyadh is a significant move. What attracted you to this market, and what do you hope to achieve with this new location?

It is a big milestone for us because the Middle East is a big part of the world and it is a key market for FENDI as well. I have been the president of FENDI Europe, Middle East, and India for eight years so I know the region very well and I can tell you that the appeal of the brand towards Middle Eastern clients is very high so we thought of the Middle East as one of the vital areas. Of course in the Middle East, Saudi is the fastest evolving market and is the more sensible client for luxury products so we found ourselves understanding that we should be well-represented here. It is very important for us to be well-represented so the beautiful store, the beautiful location, to make sure that our clients in the Middle East feel the same way when they come here as they would in a FENDI store. 

4. How do you see consumer preferences in the luxury home segment changing, particularly in the Middle East? 

There has been an evolution of the client especially in this area. What I think is important for us is to communicate to our client the FENDI DNA is a slightly more sophisticated way. People now understand better that FENDI is now not just an FF brand but a storyteller. All our products are made with a story behind it and we want our clients to experience this story because this makes our products more attractive to the clients. 

5. How is Fendi Casa addressing sustainability in its products and operations, and how important is this to your overall strategy?

As FENDI CASA we are a joint venture between FENDI himself and a group called FBB an interior design firm which has brands like Flos. And so our strategy in sustainability is to actually move in coordination with these two brands. We do not have our own unique strategy on sustainability, but what we do have in that area comes directly from FENDI. So we aim to be in perfect sync with the two partners who have a very clear approach towards sustainability and we are committed to following that. 

6. Can you share any insights on potential collaborations or partnerships that Fendi Casa is exploring to enhance its market presence?

FENDI CASA has a 30-year history, but this venture is relatively new so today our main focus is to create a collection that would be common for the whole world in approach and image to establish very clearly what the new FENDI CASA is. So I consider that today it is a bit premature for us to go into market specification, but certainly we do have our local partners suggesting us what is more suitable for the Middle Eastern market which is a very particular one and has been expressed into the way we elaborate the fabrics in the products, the way use colors etc. rather than doing products that are only for one market. I think we will come to that at a later stage of the evolution of FENDI CASA and when we are more established. 

7. What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your journey at Fendi Casa, and how have you overcome them?

If I think backwards, I started in July 2021 in the middle of Covid so it was not very easy for example to have interaction with our possible partners to go around the world and vent locations, it was all very complicated. I think the other think that was complicated was to renovate the collection and do something from zero when you already have a history of 30 years. So we had a history of 30 years for products but we changed course and how I overcame was first of all, the support of FENDI on one side and FBB on the other side for industrial and production areas and of course being able to put together an amazing team and being able to do its best because when you look at the collection today it is a nice merge between the old products that are being revisited and new products that are having a great success. 

8. How does Fendi Casa incorporate local culture and aesthetics into its designs, particularly for the Riyadh store?

Starting from the second-half of the question, this is a fantastic step for us FENDI CASA never had such a beautiful store in Riyadh so for me it was a point of distinction to to be able to represent FENDI CASA at the level of what FENDI does for fashion and I think by doing this store we have been able to convey that message. Concerning the personalisation, if there are needs of the local market that need to be incorporated into our collection and of course we do that. For example in certain places, bigger round tables are required by the market. FENDI CASA is the land of personalisation so at the end you take a product, you see the product in this way so you can personalize it, and make that product very much yours by choosing a different fabric, choosing a different detail and that is what we are trying to do. 

9.  What innovations in customer experience are you implementing in Fendi Casa stores to engage clients effectively especially with online shopping becoming the norm? 

I do not think that this business is very online-friendly. I believe that the store is where people can come and see the product, test it, and be told the story behind the product. I think that is very important. I ultimately attach importance to how teams are able to introduce and explain the products to the clients and I think there is a plus with this and that is what we are focusing on. Because you can have a beautiful product but you need to be able to transfer all the content that is in the product to the client so that they can really appreciate what we are doing. We are also trying to establish a network of stores that are not super large. We prefer to have fewer stores but well-built and have the right people. We are trying not to over expand in a bid to not lose control of what we do. 

10. As a leader in the luxury industry, what principles guide your leadership style and decision-making?

It is very important to establish clear objectives and to follow them without compromising. I also think it is important to lead by example so I always do my best to be the first one in line and to take responsibility if something does not work. I also try to establish an ambiance where people are working for pleasure because we spend a lot of time in the office, people need to be able to enjoy their time in the company. 

11. Who or what has inspired you the most throughout your career in luxury brands, and how does that influence your work today?

Again, I think I have been very lucky because I have worked for fantastic brands and I think I have had the chance to work with great people at Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and FENDI. When you have a chance to work with those people, it is very rewarding, ver inspiring and also you can learn from them and hopefully try to replicate what they do. 

12. Can you discuss any upcoming product lines or collections that you’re particularly excited about at Fendi Casa?

Overall I would say that our collection is pretty complete. The only missing bits are outdoor and lighting collections maybe but overall if you see we have living, dining, sleeping, and  kitchen collections. We even have accessories so I do not think we have an area that is completely untouched. At the same time, we need to continue to do better in every single area. Again, the new FENDI CASA is only three years old and we are competing with brands that have a very long history. So there is still a lot that we need to do to complete our product offerings, but I do not think there is a big hole that we are missing. 

13. What legacy do you hope to leave at Fendi Casa, both in terms of the brand and its impact on the luxury market?

I do not have a special legacy to leave as a manager at this company. I would be happy one day if what I leave behind me is satisfying FENDI because that means that I would have done my job to bring FENDI CASA at the level of FENDI and to make the two complementary and well integrated. So if the brand owner is happy with my work, I will be happy. 

The FENDI CASA store is now open in Al Olaya. So refresh your home’s look for the winter with the store’s plush offerings.

Sat-Thu 10am-10pm, Fri 5pm-10pm. King Abdulaziz Road, Al Olaya, fendicasa.com.