Branding is not a priority at I Casali del Pino, the beautiful sprawling farm within the protected green area of Parco di Veio, a few miles north of Rome. There is no visible indication that two members of the third generation of the Fendi family are so committed to the estate that they have restored and converted it into an organic farm. Walking around the property, it’s clear that this is a passion project of sisters Silvia and Ilaria Venturini Fendi.
“We never wanted to connect our name to the farm; we have great respect for the brand, it is not only the name of our family,” says Silvia Venturini Fendi, sitting in the shade of the majestic trees dotting the large lawn outside the restaurant.
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Her sister recalls the first time she stumbled upon the estate in 2004 and how she completely changed her life to pursue its acquisition and restoration. “When I saw it, I knew this was it. I was always passionate about nature and life in the outdoors; our father [Giulio Venturini] was the same, growing up in the country in a wildlife farm in Rieti [near Rome]. There was no doubt in my mind that I had to have it, but then I had to convince Silvia,” Ilaria admits with a smile.
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And so she did, and neither one is looking back despite the challenges — and investments — they faced to restore the landmark site, which is protected for its natural and historical value.
“Ilaria was a bit of a tomboy as a child, wild and with a passion for dogs, and perhaps because of her asthma she was always happier out in the country,” says Silvia.
In fact, you are sure to find Ilaria’s rescued dog following her wherever she goes — fittingly, the pet is called Ombra, or “Shadow.”
The relationship between the siblings is strong and the two spend much time together and with their extended families. Silvia and Ilaria are the daughters of Anna Fendi, and granddaughters of matriarch Adele Casagrande Fendi, who launched the family brand in 1925 by opening a fur and leather goods workshop in Rome with her husband Edoardo Fendi. Anna Fendi — along with her sisters Paola, Carla, Franca and Alda — helped develop and expand the business. Silvia is artistic director of accessories and menswear collections at Fendi, and her daughters Delfina Delettrez and Leonetta Luciano are also involved in the company, as jewelry creative director and in charge of sustainability, respectively.
“When we sold the brand to LVMH [Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton], I decided that it was time to reevaluate life’s values,” recalls Ilaria.
After working as accessories creative director of the Fendissime young line and as Fendi’s shoe designer, she launched her own Carmina Campus collection in 2006, which reflected her commitment to sustainability, highly crafted, and employing only reused and recycled materials. “The pace had been too fast, I needed to slow down,” says Ilaria.
To be sure, it’s hard to believe anyone could be stressed at I Casali del Pino, with its rows of pine trees and soft hills, where flocks of around 800 sheep roam freely. The Fendi sisters converted the land into organic farming, which entailed allowing the terrain to “rest” for three years, and conservatively restored the buildings in the hamlet, most of which were in ruins, without disrupting the landscape.
The farm spans over 430 acres, and barley and other grains are grown on site. “We are focused on local, zero-kilometer produce,” says Ilaria, who has studied to become an agricultural entrepreneur. “But I continue to study, there is no end to learning,” she says simply.
Crops are rotated and pesticides and chemicals are banned. Large portions of the farm are left uncultivated and are covered by woods.
There is an in-house cheese-making facility where the sheep’s milk is processed, and the farm’s products are available for purchase on site, including pasta made with the farm’s own flour. Aperitifs and trays of cheese and other local goods, including honey, are served there. Reflecting the Fendis’ choice to cater locally, products are also available at nearby restaurants.
The Crémera stream flows in a narrow valley on the farm with vegetation and fauna typical of the Roman countryside, where foxes, wild boar and pheasants can be spotted. A large arch carved in local stone, dating back to Etruscan times, marks the ancient route from Veio, capital of the Etruscan kingdom, to Rome.
Before their arrival the rural hamlet — a former tobacco plantation that dates back to the 16th century and a cattle breeding farm from the early 1900s — was in disarray, including the two-level building that once housed the homes of the farm’s workers and their families. It has been restored to contain 16 rooms, each personalized with different floors using recycled tiles and interiors, and vintage and modern pieces together with objects created by Ilaria. The building serves as a hotel for guests, while there is a separate building for the family.
The only contemporary style introduced in the restoration were three solar chimneys added to a former stable that has been turned into a multifunctional hall for large events, including FloraCult, a yearly, four-day plant and flower show that takes place at the end of April.
Introduced 15 years ago, the festival brings together more than 130 Italian nurseries “and attracts thousands of visitors who want to rediscover nature,” says Ilaria proudly. “The purpose is promoting the love of green life as a cultural statement, supporting sustainability and the protection of the environment.”
“Talks with prominent researchers, astronauts, mathematicians, philosophers, geologists are held throughout the event to tackle the subject of sustainability, and people meet to exchange thoughts and share values,” adds Silvia. “We thought it was important to share this place with others.”
The solar chimneys help reduce the energy consumption of the structure, and they function as greenhouses in winter and as wind towers in summer, through a system of fans that convey the hot air upward.
The building has also become the main restaurant of the farm, where organic ingredients are employed and local products used as much as possible, including vegetables from the farm’s garden, ricotta and other cheeses produced in-house, homemade pasta, almond and wine cookies. Fruit from the orchard is turned into jams.
There is also a smaller restaurant available for events, seating up to 80 people, and cozy with a big fireplace. Nearby, a wine selection by Anna Fendi, who promotes small and medium-sized vineyards, is available. In another personal project, she has also refurbished the storied Villa Laetitia on the Tiber river in Rome, turning it into an exclusive hotel.
Pointing to another building that still shows the passing of time and that hasn’t been restored, the sisters say they are unsure about renovating it.
“There are many nests of storks there, and we don’t want to destroy them,” says Ilaria.
Similarly, they are doubtful about building a pool or a spa, as they wish to maintain the rural feel of the location.
“I am not sure I want to see people wandering around in bathrobes,” says Silvia with a small laugh.