On the Fendi runway, a clear vision of shared power takes center stage—weighty, intentional, and collective. Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut as creative director of the Roman maison places connection at the heart of the show. “Less I, More Us” reads like a guiding code, yet the message doesn’t remain merely printed on garments or written along the runway the models tread—it is worn, embodied, alive. The reference to the five sisters who built the brand’s identity—Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla, and Alda—is far from ornamental. The “5 SISTERS” scarf strikes immediately: fashion borrowing the language of fandom to speak elegantly of sisterhood. The femininity on display is sharp, almost graphic.
Lace doesn’t soften; it doesn’t merely decorate—it makes its mark. The recurring white collars detach from the shirt, becoming independent accessories, autonomous presences that illuminate each look with an optical, piercing white. A gesture that nods to Karl Lagerfeld’s aesthetic memory, yet pushes it further; paired with sharp cuts, asymmetrical constructions, and geometries that disrupt predictability. Nothing is static. The garments move with the rhythm of each step, and the furs—central to the collection—never weigh down. It is a collection that breathes, designed to traverse the city rather than remain trapped in an image. Even when volumes grow bold, they remain fluid, alive, and in motion.
“I am probably not a good seller! But I synthesise my vision for Fendi in this show. In the silhouette. In the accessories. In the shoes… It is important to define the silhouette of Fendi. And really, that is the silhouette of the coat.”
Bags take center stage, unapologetically. The Fendi Baguette multiplies in soft or structured versions, animalier or jeweled, even appearing in pairs within the same look—never excessive, never ostentatious. Alongside them, new logo tote bags expand the everyday repertoire. These are objects designed to accompany every moment, able to capture diverse tastes without losing their identity. The palette flows from deep browns to rich blacks and enveloping creams. White collars create striking contrasts, while denim introduces an unexpected western echo. Animals, furs, and feathers intertwine with military greens; asymmetrical zip jumpsuits evoke an industrial, almost creative-workshop aesthetic. Utility and sensuality coexist without hierarchy. The work on materials is precise, almost surgical: fabric and leather scraps stitched together like a collage. Leather meets fur, canvas meets rich, inlaid textiles. Lace—a cornerstone of Chiuri’s language—returns in unconventional versions, revealing glimpses of the body through carefully calibrated transparencies.
Then evening falls, and everything intensifies. Glittering gowns, ultra-fine fringes that seem to float with every movement, warm reds that ignite the runway. Velvet lapels evoke timeless elegance; tulle skirts layered over culottes, collars transformed into feathered necklaces, and delicate lace details construct theatrical, sophisticated silhouettes.
In this story, words are as tangible as fabric. Through collaborations with SAGG Napoli and Mirella Bentivoglio, language becomes a foundation of the collection. Belonging is not a fixed state—it is dynamic, built through dialogue, renewed in exchange with the world. And a question lingers, emerging from the surface of each look: do we still make space for others? Do we continue to celebrate the self as a brand? Going against the current, this collection suggests that true modernity lies in sharing weight and vision. Not a step back. A step together. It returns the body, desire, and shared responsibility to the center. Within this horizon lies Mirella Bentivoglio’s radical lesson: she dismantled language to reveal its cracks, turning words and letters into living, ambiguous, political objects. Fendi’s collaboration translates this research into thoughtful jewelry and garments. SAGG Napoli’s contribution reinforces an idea of sisterhood that is rooted yet fluid, loyal yet not obedient. From this emerges a demanding, profoundly contemporary vision.
