SOME OF THE MOST STORIED FASHION houses in Italy have launched vintage collections that redefine the lines between art and wine. With vineyards as their runways, fashion leaders are bringing fresh style, elegance and a profound passion for nature to Italy’s wine scene.

It’s not hard to draw a line from wine to fashion, especially in Italy. Both disciplines thrive with an artistic spirit that adapts to every season, creating products that are woven from Italian culture with grapes as fine thread. Designer and entrepreneur Anna Fendi is one of five sisters who shaped the family’s iconic Fendi label into the height of global luxury, a name synonymous with constant innovation, from the Karl Lagerfeld years to “it” bags like the Peekaboo and the Baguette. Now in her 90s, Fendi has turned her boundless creative energy to winemaking, with a growing portfolio built in collaboration with her oenophile husband, Giuseppe Tedesco, and a team of wine experts. Anna Fendi Vini (AFV) is not a winery; it’s a collection, a curated study of wines and grappa sourced from top estates. “We decided to travel around Italy to visit and discover amazing places and wine producers,” she explains. “I immediately fell in love with this world.”

The former head of development for the Fendi brand for 30 years, Fendi transitioned out of her role after Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH Group) acquired the family business in 2000. The Fendi sisters have a special fondness for Rome, and Anna Fendi’s first venture after the acquisition was the restoration of the historic Villa Laetitia on the banks of the Tiber. She transformed it into a boutique hotel complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant, Enoteca La Torre. Villa Laetitia is described as a “hidden gem” by Conde Nast Traveler and “one of the most unique spots to stay in Rome … like a trip into another world.” Fashioning wine was a natural next step, but far from haute couture, Fendi prefers the approachability of wines that are ready to drink, specifically a tavola paired with pasta and good times. “My main goal was to highlight the breadth of Italian wine, and I’ve brought together a handpicked selection,” she shares. “I focused on table wines rather than collectors’ items because I wanted to create an experience that would bring family around the table and be enjoyed.” When in Rome, the team behind the stylish Anna Fendi showroom in the heart of Villa Laetitia will expertly guide you through the designer’s complete wine line.

Fendi prefers single grape varieties like her favorite, Gavi, a bright white wine native to northern Piedmont that triggers all the senses and looks beautiful in a glass. Always style-forward, she worked with Murano Island glass artists to complete her vision with a chic line of champagne flutes and whiskey and wine glasses in vivid hues of amber, green apple, honey and smoke. Grand and beautiful, the Anna Fendi wine collection is graced with couture-inspired names like Velvet, Cat’s Walk and Twill, an expansive range with over 20 selections, from full-bodied reds like Amarone, Barolo and Chianti Classico to lighter Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer, Prosecco and a Cerasuolo rosé. The smart couture names speak to the personality of the wines, like Brocato (brocade) for a richly textured Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo DOCG, Spina di Pesce (herringbone) for a restrained Soave DOC, and Bolero for a dashing red Barolo DOC.

In line with Fendi, the Ferragamo family has also found passion and purpose in the wine world. Salvatore Ferragamo chose Florence as the home base for his luxury shoe brand in 1927. His children grew up exploring the Tuscan countryside, and in 1993, the founder’s son, Ferruccio, purchased Il Borro, a 2,700-acre property and medieval hamlet once owned by the Medici. In dire need of restoration, Il Borro got a makeover for the ages to revive the abandoned cobblestone streets, chapels and craft ateliers, all anchored by a spectacular Relais & Château villa and some 250 acres of organic vineyards and olive groves. Guests to this timeless landscape can meander through winding lanes that carry the whispers of long ago or relax by the infinity pool after enjoying a treatment at the Il Borro spa. As with Anna Fendi, a respect for the environment and a profound love for Italian culture do not exclude the Ferragamo signature brand of luxury living.

Located between Florence and Arezzo in the Valdarno valley, the Il Borro estate is an enchanting getaway to book a horseback ride, ramble or wine tasting. It’s also an ideal place to plant vines, located at the foot of the Pratomagno Mountains in an ancient lake bed that has a long tradition of fine wine and olive oil production. True to the Tuscan tradition, the Sangiovese grape plays a starring role in the wines as does the immediate locale. Ferruccio Ferragamo’s son, Salvatore, heads up winemaking with a true love of the land and the heart of a craftsman. “When I came to Il Borro for the first time, I was very young, but I can still clearly remember the strong contrast between the abandoned buildings and the neglected fields and vineyards … and the magnificent nature all around the property,” he shared in a recent interview. “I chose early on to be involved and to oversee the rebirth of this historical place.”

Inspired by their beautiful valley, Il Borro and 20 other producers came together to form the hyper-local and 100% organic Valdarno di Sopra DOC wine region. From the beginning, the Ferragamo family expressed a desire to uncover the most unique expressions of their area, turning wine into a true exercise in creativity. Il Borro offers over a dozen styles made from a wide array of grapes that reflect many influences, including the cooling force of the nearby Apennine Mountains, which drive a lovely intensity of red fruit aromas. Current releases explore the boundaries of this growing region, including a high-mineral Tuscan Chardonnay sourced from an ancient bed of seashells, and Bolle di Borro, a sparkling Sangiovese with notes of strawberry and cool granite. Far from being beholden to Sangiovese, Ferragamo and his team have earned the admiration of longtime partners, like U.S. importer Julius Angelini of Angelini Wines, for their pioneering efforts with unconventional varieties like Syrah that also work beautifully in Valdarno.

Refinement and experimentation work hand in hand in the Ferragamo winemaking ethos, where nothing is off the table if it works with their environs. The new Il Borro Organic London Dry Gin is made exclusively with aromatic botanicals grown on the estate, including Tuscan juniper, olive leaves, lavender, sage and rosemary with a hint of honey to add smoothness and roundness. On a recent summer night, guests enjoyed an aperitivo of gin cocktails followed by panzanella, pappa al pomodoro and grilled meats paired with Il Borro estate wines. Served under the warm glow of lights suspended among the trees, the Ferragamo dream of wine and hospitality is both real and enchanting.

Italy’s rich history is intertwined with artistic innovation and cross-disciplinary inspiration. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are the creative forces behind the Dolce&Gabbana fashion label. Dolce grew up in the family’s fashion business in Palermo and brought his native Sicily to the duo’s earliest creative forays. The Fall/Winter 1987–88 collection was simply called “La Sicilia” and launched a decades-long exploration into the brilliant colors and folkloric symbols of the region, such as the traditional Sicilian horse-drawn cart and handmade pupi marionettes. “These highly unique elements of the folkloristic tradition created a conceptual, ironic and wildly appreciated direction,” shared the designers. The allure of Sicily as a destination for great craftsmanship and adventure has grown exponentially in the years since. Wine lovers have reaped the benefits with an array of truly special wines, from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna to full-bodied Nero d’Avola reds.

In 2017, Dolce&Gabbana teamed up with acclaimed Sicilian winery Donnafugata to launch a new wine venture. A natural partner, Donnafugata founder Gabriella Rallo and her family are also deeply entrenched in the colorful character of Sicily. Rallo and her husband, Giacomo, launched Donnafugata in western Sicily in 1983, naming their wine venture after the classic Sicilian narrative of a donna in fuga (a woman in flight), the story of a queen who finds refuge in Western Sicily (a metaphor for Rallo’s decision to pursue a life in wine). The Sicilian artist Stefano Vitale captured la donna in strong, bright strokes as a romantic figure with long, flowing hair to adorn every Donnafugata label. For over 25 years, Vitale and Rallo have delighted wine lovers with sunny and whimsical labels that capture the essence of Sicily.

Donnafugata x Dolce&Gabbana wines include Rosa, a pale pink DOC Sicilian rosé with notes of wisteria and wild strawberry, an original blend of Nerello Mascalese from Mount Etna and Nocera grapes from Western Sicily. Tancredi, a red wine release from Donnafugata x Dolce&Gabbana, combines local Nero d’Avola with other worldly red varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat for a bold and spicy profile that balances tradition and modernity with artistic flourishes. Intense ruby red, Tancredi does not hold back on the palate with deep notes of dark plums and blueberries and traces of vanilla and tobacco from 14 months of barrel aging. Smartly packaged with vibrant labels styled in the bold geometric patterns of a Sicilian peasant cart, Donnafugata x Dolce&Gabbana have formed a chic and delicious partnership to honor their love of Sicily.

On a recent trip to Whole Foods, I picked up several bottles of Donnafugata x Dolce&Gabbana Rosa to bring to a dinner party. The cheerful packaging was a hit, but the wine was the real star. Far from a vanity project, some of Italy’s most famous designers bring a zest for fine living to wine that is free to reimagine the landscape, the experiences and even the glasses we drink from. *

Helen Gregory has been writing about the good life for over 20 years. Fluent in four languages, she has lived in Italy, India, France, Morocco and South America, and derives inspiration from her love of travel and the many people she has met along the way. An accomplished business owner, Helen shares her life with her husband, Brian, three kids and two dogs.