Fendi Touts Dolce Vita as Owner LVMH Relies on Brand

Think of Rome and you might picture the birthplace of western civilization, the Vatican or Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Luxury-goods maker LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA wants you to dream of Fendi.

Restoration work funded by Fendi started this month on Rome’s Trevi Fountain where actress Anita Ekberg frolicked in Fellini’s 1960 film. The project is part of a push by owner LVMH to boost the Rome-based handbag maker’s profile and cut the company’s dependence on Louis Vuitton, its biggest brand.