Shaping Stories, Honouring Heritage - TDR Interviews Altea Piersanti Fendi
Photography by TripleF
Following her formative years at TripleF, Altea Piersanti Fendi witnessed firsthand a space where heritage, imagination, and contemporary sensibility converge. TripleF, conceived by her mother, Federica Formilli Fendi, is both concept store and design archive — a living dialogue where fashion, art and cultural artifacts are rediscovered, reinterpreted and given new life. Joined by her daughter Ginevra Piersanti Fendi, whose modern sensibility brings fresh perspective, Federica channels a lifetime immersed in creativity, from the Fendi maison to the launch of Fendissime, into an ever-evolving narrative. At Casa TripleF, each room unfolds like a stage: carefully curated furniture, objects and artworks form scenographies that shift with new dialogues. Nestled at Via delle Mantellate 15/A — a storied Roman address once home to Cy Twombly to Mario Schifano and others — the space carries memory in its walls and in the flourishing avocado tree Schifano planted. Here, past and present converse, and objects become vessels of meaning, bridging history, culture and design.
Photography by TripleF
From the narrative-rich world of TripleF, Altea Piersanti Fendi carries forward a new vision with Baiamè, a womenswear label born in 2025 and rooted between Rome and Milan. Baiamè offers elevated wardrobe essentials, designed to move seamlessly with the modern woman from day into night. Its name is a testament to intention: drawn from the French âme, meaning soul, and Bai, “by us,” each piece emerges as a dialogue between maker and wearer. Guided by premium materials, refined silhouettes and meticulous craftsmanship, the brand celebrates confidence, versatility and conscious design, with every garment proudly Made in Italy. Its first drop, 01 Essentials, reimagines key wardrobe staples, introducing elevated knitwear with daring details. Curated pop-ups in Paris and London brought the collection to life, embodying the small-batch philosophy that balances flexibility with sustainability. Founded alongside Margherita Violante and Alice Foresto, Baiamè fuses diverse creative perspectives into a singular vision of timeless, intentional, and culturally resonant elegance.
Photography by Baiamè
Raised within the family that brought Made in Italy to the world, heritage shaped her from the very beginning. At TripleF, she learned to look beyond the surface — uncovering narrative in objects and memory in materials. With Baiamè, she channels that vision into storytelling and brand strategy. Read on to hear more from Altea Piersanti Fendi herself:
The Design Release: Growing up in a family immersed in fashion, what did creativity look like in your everyday life before it became a profession?
Altea Piersanti Fendi: Creativity was part of everyday life, never staged or separate from reality. It lived in homes, objects, fabrics and conversations. Long before becoming a profession, it was simply a way of observing, touching and relating to the world.
TDR: TripleF moves fluidly between a concept space, archive and living dialogue. What core idea holds all these layers together as a brand?
APF: TripleF is built around dialogue — between objects, spaces and time. The archive, the concept space and daily life belong to the same ecosystem. This approach allows Casa TripleF to extend beyond Rome, taking shape in a project space Milano at Glab where my mother, Federica, and my sister, Ginevra, periodically reimagine the setting as a contemporary wunderkammer, revealing rare design pieces alongside vintage fashion.
This April, during Milan Design Week, TripleF presents Casa Barozzi. Rooms of Rarities, an exhibition conceived by my mother together with architect and Italian designer Giovanna Ferrero Ventimiglia. Set within an apartment in a Liberty-style building near Villa Necchi Campiglio, the project unfolds as a curated scenography — where unique design pieces furnish the apartment and enter in dialogue with contemporary creations, creating a living conversation between past and present. The exhibition is open Monday, April 20, from 10 am to 8 pm, and until April 24 by appointment only.
Photography by TripleF
TDR: The act of rediscovery is central to TripleF. What guides the eye when deciding which pieces deserve to be brought back today?
APF: That eye belongs to my mother, Federica, and my sister, Ginevra. Their choices are guided by instinct, cultural depth and a very personal aesthetic. They select objects that resonate with their way of living and with the world they have built around TripleF.
TDR: TripleF occupies a space layered with artistic history and everyday Roman life. How does that specific address shape the brand?
APF: Rome is home for my family — not just a place, but a way of living. Casa TripleF reflects that sense of belonging. Set in a historic building once inhabited by artists such as Cy Twombly and Mario Schifano, it is both a home and a working space where art, fashion and design naturally coexist. Objects are lived with rather than displayed, allowing time, daily gestures and Roman life itself to shape the rhythm and identity of TripleF.
TDR: How did your experience at TripleF change the way you think about objects and archives?
APF: TripleF is very much a family affair. There is a constant exchange, and my mother has always been my first source of inspiration. TripleF represents her world — a place where I recognize myself, observe and sometimes get lost. Living among furniture, vintage pieces, clothing and jewellery shaped my sensitivity, teaching me to see objects as part of a broader cultural and emotional landscape.
TDR: What did working so closely with your family reveal about your own voice within a shared creative legacy?
APF: Sharing references, instincts and conversations with my mother and my sister helped me understand what we hold in common as a family, while allowing my own sensibility to take shape. That ongoing dialogue clarified my voice — a foundation that later found its expression in Baiamé.
Photography by Baiamé
TDR: Baiamé was born from the idea of "âme" or soul. On a personal level, what part of yourself did you want this brand to carry from the very beginning?
APF: Baiamé holds my desire for authenticity: creating pieces that feel right immediately, not because they follow a trend, but because they resonate on a deeper level. It also carries my respect for time, craftsmanship, and emotion — the idea that a garment can become part of someone's life, not just their wardrobe.
In that sense, Baiamé reflects how I see design itself: intentional, stripped of excess, but full of intention.
TDR: You describe Baiamé as a collection of elevated essentials designed for modern life. What gap in your own wardrobe — or lifestyle — made you realize this brand needed to exist?
APF: In recent years, my co-founder and best friend, Margherita Violante, and I, searched for knit pieces to add to our wardrobes, but never truly found what we were looking for — this is how our project was born.
TDR: From its small-batch approach to its fully Italian production chain, Baiamé is built on intentional choices. How do these decisions inform your understanding of longevity, value and responsibility today?
APF: For us, longevity starts with intention. Producing in small batches allows us to slow down, to design with care, and to avoid creating more than what truly needs to exist. It shifts the focus from volume to meaning.
Value, today, isn't about quantity — it's about quality, traceability, and emotion. Working entirely within the Italian production chain gives us control, transparency and a deep respect for craftsmanship.
Responsibility means understanding that every garment we make has a footprint — not just environmental, but cultural. Working with Italian artisans means preserving knowledge, supporting local economies, and creating pieces designed to last years, not seasons. This is why we have decided to share our collections through small drops online and in pop-ups.
Photography by Baiamé
TDR: When you look back at TripleF now, what part of that experience still quietly informs the way you build Baiamé today?
APF: Triplef has educated my eye to details, as my mother always told me beauty is in the details, and this is what Baiamé is all about.
TDR: What moments have tested you most while building Baiamé and which parts of the journey have brought you the greatest sense of fulfilment?
APF: We are both 27 years old, and the biggest challenge has been being taken seriously with small quantities. Producing 50–100 pieces per style instead of 5,000 often meant facing closed doors: "come back when you're ready" - that was until we found manufacturers who believe in sustainable growth rather than immediate volume.
TDR: Looking ahead, what's next for Baiamé, and on a more personal note, how do you like to disconnect or recharge when you step away from work?
APF: Looking ahead, we want Baiamé to grow slowly and intentionally expanding the wardrobe without losing its essence.
On a personal level, disconnection isn't really part of my vocabulary — Margherita and I live the brand as an extension of our friendship. Our best ideas often come from personal conversations, a fleeting observation, or a shared memory. That fluidity between life and work is where Baiamé truly lives.