Lebanese-born Fenici’s real name is Michael Venici, but he now goes by Michael Fenici whose brand name stands for “passion for classic excellence.”
“Michael Fenici gradually became my nickname and my friend. We shared everything. We had the same dreams, same ambitions. The brand name became a person,” he said.
A single suit of Michael Fenici requires up to 40 hours of work with 72,000 stitches by hand for the jacket. “The whole process is handmade, starting from trimming, which is made from fibers of camel hair, to the filling between the lining where we add fibers from horse hair and the cloth to the chest area,” said Fenici.
The camel and horse hair are 100 percent natural fibers, designed to fit the anatomy of the body; so that when a jacket is worn, the chest area is stretched, taking the form of the body. His passion for excellence, as he describes it, enables him to go deeper in studying every customer’s needs and fulfills them as best possible.
“The fashion industry in the beginning of the seventies decided that this procedure took too long. So they started using synthetic material and lining it with small drops of glue that stick at dry high temperatures to start their mass production,” explained Fenici.
He pointed out, however, that when the human body gets hot and sweats, the fiber starts forming bubbles on the surface, which are sometimes seen on men’s suits or thobes. “That’s because they’re not handmade!”
Fenici not only supervises the whole work procedure, but also takes measurements himself and cuts and sets guidelines, which in his opinion, is the basis for success. He created his name and brand in 1989 as he was fascinated by the Phoenicians civilization — the people who existed around the Mediterranean who sailed to the North of Africa and helped the Romans with the alphabets, built commercial ships and, most importantly, discovered the color purple.
“They were fishermen and were exposed to all those colors under the sea, such as the colors of the shells, which changed from red to blue and violet to purple,” said Fenici.
He added that he learned about that when he was learning about materials and textures, which made him stop and think. “Since I was originally from around that area, I thought it would be fit to carry the name of that race and relate it to what I am doing today.”
Fenici left Lebanon in 1976 — he was 16 years old at the time — for Europe due to the war situation. There, he completed his studies in Helsingborg, Sweden and Paris, France.
“I was gaining experiences from everyday chores,” he said. “I was depending on myself, doing laundry and taking of myself, the way students do.” It was then that he realized that he enjoyed replacing buttons on his shirts, fixing collars, etc. Curiosity then led him to try and master these procedures better and make things look better. Fenici realized that this field would be his path and that succeeding in it will take him far.
Fenici left Sweden to study at the Textar Institute of Technology of Paris until 1982 and then went back to Sweden to finish his studies. Fenci wasn’t thinking of fashion when he moved back to Sweden. Instead, he wanted to settle with his Swedish fiancé at the time.
The challenge was big as the fashion industry in Europe insists on only picking qualified individuals. Yet, the opportunity came to him during his last year.
“Oscar Jacobson came into the picture in the world of producers. He was a rising rival for many big brand names and I did my internship with him. At the end of my training, his offer was on the table, which I of course accepted,” said Fenici.
Fenici worked with the Jacobson team for a year and a half, but then received a more tempting job in a company called Nordiska Kompaniet in Sweden, which was a luxury mall like Harold’s of London.
“It was another transition phase for me, from production industry to a trendy fashion environment where businessmen and VIPs meet. I was part of a team working in the custom-made department for men and women,” he said.
There was also a short period between Jacobson and Nordiska Kompaniet where Fenici worked at Ralph Lauren in New York. After that, he worked at Sas airlines where he managed to make enough money to launch his own business.
In 1989, Fenici decided that he didn’t want to work for anyone anymore and launched the Michael Fenici brand in Sweden. He then expanded to Turin in Italy and Copenhagen and Oslo in Denmark.
At that time, it wasn’t mass production, but only custom-made products, mostly because his financial capabilities only allowed him to do so. According to Fenici, it’s a special market niche where he produces materials after a full study of the client, his skin tone, hair color, anatomy, etc. “It’s unique for each individual.”
Fenici owes a big portion of his life and prosperity to Sweden, as it provided him with a chance to work in the heart of the European market: Spain, Italy, New York and London.
Although Europe is a huge market, the socialist system brought Fenici back to open his business in Lebanon after 25 years of absence. It was not just a material matter that brought him back home, however, but also the sense of belonging.
“Michael Fenici needed an identity. I don’t deny that Sweden offered me a lot and made my fortune possible, but I can’t forget that I am Lebanese. My father is Lebanese and so it is my home. As a result, the idea of creating something for my country surfaced.”
Fenici explained that Western women do not require custom tailor suits, as they are simple and casual, both in their jobs and social lives. As a result, it is easy for them to find clothes. “My concept is mainly for men, but I might expand my line to include women in the future,” he said.
He pointed out that he advocates Lebanese women and does not support the image that is made for them that they are only part of the nightlife. He believes that Lebanese women are also a productive part of the community, have reached high places in the government, raise children and are a productive part of the community. “I think that’s the approach I would take with a women line,” he added.
Between Jeddah and Riyadh
Although suits don’t play a big role in the Gulf countries, Fenici had his eyes set on opening in Riyadh after opening in Beirut, Lebanon. That is because he has many Saudi friends who he loves and who mean a lot to him.
“At the Michael Fenici event in Beirut, there were a lot of Saudis involved. Before I came to Saudi Arabia, I had loyal Saudi clients. So, instead of them coming to Lebanon, we would stop in Riyadh making the trip for them shorter,” he said adding that there are strong ties between Lebanese and Saudis.
The Kingdom is a big market as Fenici describes it, and to be between Jeddah, Riyadh and Damam has proven to Fenici to be profitable. “Princes and Sheikhs call me to provide these unique services.”
Fenici describes suit clients in the Gulf a “selective group,” pointing out that they may not be as many as those in Europe, but they do exist.
Another wish that tickles Fenici’s dreams is to turn his company into a place to train Saudi males who are passionate about this line of work. “It will be an honor for me as I know I’ll be leaving one day. It’s a shame for someone to have something, some kind of knowledge and leave it with him. You have to share it,” he said.
Therefore, he hopes that his brand will last long after he is gone, and not only be tied to him. “It’s a brand and it should live, continue and surpass others.”
