Celebrating A Century Of Italian Luxury With Fur, Family, And Fashion Forward Vision
Opening with a timeless, full-length fur, Fendi's Fall-Winter 2025 collection was a declaration: the classics are so back. 100 years have passed since Adele Casagrande and Edoardo Fendi opened their fur and leather goods workshop in 1925, and they would have been proud to know that their granddaughter, Silvia Venturini Fendi, took the helm of FENDI 100: Lo Spirito Del Tempo at Milan Fashion Week.
In terms of vision, the tenured designer touched on styles of yesterday, but is decidedly focused on what's next for the brand. "FENDI reminds me of the future. I didn't want to spend too much time dwelling on the physical archives," said Venturini Fendi in her show notes. "For me, FENDI 100 is more about my personal memories – real or imagined – of what FENDI was and what FENDI means today." The most meaningful easter egg of FENDI 100 is a miniature doll seen attached to the twisted handle of a fluffy, watermelon pink purse (Look 60), outfitted with an almost exact replica of what Venturini Fendi wore at six years old when she modeled for the maison's 1967 Fall-Winter collection.
It was moments like this that carried the spirit of girlhood throughout "FENDI 100," with its pops of pink, lots of lace, and huggable doll charms emboldened with feathery textures and moonlight-catching sequins (Looks 70, 72, 82). Menswear was approached with equal delicateness: silk lapels, sheer floral undershirts, and sleek ties embellished with crystal beaded embroidery (Looks 55, 77, 78). Masculine silhouettes embraced the collection's signature use of fur just as much as their feminine counterparts, because everyone deserves the privilege of the plush touch of Fendi.
Jewel-toned shades of bronze, turquoise, emerald, and plum played as accents to a coffee and cream color palette. Buttery leathers (Looks 35, 36) and rich fur stoles snugly draped on the shoulder or playfully dragged along the runway entertain a sense of child-like wonder on a backdrop of sophistication (Looks 3, 14, 74, 85). The dainty whimsies of "FENDI 100" continue to show through in another simple, yet outspoken, way: sheer stockings with bright-colored toe sections. Pinks, oranges, reds, and blues were spied through peep-toe heels, a few of which were chicly mismatched–the ultimate signal of a girl on the go (Looks 7, 50, 51). Fendi's own take on the re-emergence of colored tights is fun in a wearable way, while continuing to align with the elegance of a collection made in tribute to the last 100 years.
The star-studded event featured Hollywood royalty not only in the front row, but also on the runway. Adriana Lima, Gabriette, and Deva Cassel walked while Elizabeth Olsen, Luca Guadagnino, and Sarah Jessica Parker watched. SJP held the collection's heroic pink iridescently-beaded baguette bag straight off the runway (Look 28), a subtle nod to her Sex and the City character Carrie, whose rare baguette collection continues to attract worldwide fandom, transcending generations. Leonetta Luciano Fendi, Venturini Fendi's daughter and jewelry director Delfina Delettrez Fendi's younger sister, was also in attendance, making Fendi's 100-year anniversary the ultimate family affair.
