Fendi has been having a major moment as of late. Their investment in logo-mania has seen a surge in celebrities adorning the classic “F” insignia print; gaining major exposure via Instagram’s influencer-sphere. Even Nicki Minaj wore a full Fendi logo look on the cover for her single, Chun Li, which included a custom Fendi thong (aka lingerie heaven.) That considered, it came as no surprise that she was front row for the labels SS19 collection in Milan yesterday, ready to see what Karl Lagerfeld and Silivia Venturini Fendi were serving up this season.
With a whole army of supermodels — including Kaia Gerber, Kendall Jenner, Dilone and the Hadid sisters — hitting the runway, it seemed safe to say that SS19 would be no-holds-barred for the Italian house. Utility-wear was the key theme of the collection; structured opaque military jackets were finished with oversized tan pockets and cuffed detailing, cycling shorts (the must-have of the moment) were subtly marked with the iconic “F” and were teamed with matching cropped vests and vibrant skyscraper heels. There was a even plethora of military style luxe-leather accessories, some worn around the waist while others were styled across the body.
Images courtesy of Fendi
The Fendi woman is evolving; she’s younger, fashion-forward and willing to be more creative with her wardrobe and there’s no denying that the design aesthetic was playing perfectly into the hands of fashion mad millennials. Ensuring they continued with the optimum exposure they’ve enjoyed for the past two seasons, Lagerfeld and Venturini Fendi made sure each piece has double tap potential — and unlike much of the other collections shown in Milan, there were pieces you could actually imagine the Jenner-Hadid sisters wearing off the runway.
Despite the popularity of the logo-adorned items from previous seasons, the SS19 collection only featured this motif across a limited number of jackets, skirts and tops. Instead, Fendi opted for more elegant and detailed evening-wear. Sheer dresses detailed with bright florals gave the collection an edge of sophistication and felt like a progression from the military-sport day wear that opened the show. There was even some structured suiting in neutral colour-ways, proof that even though the Fendi woman is youthful, she can still be glam AF after-dark.
Despite the wearability of the collection, and it’s obvious ability to continue Fendi’s mainstream “moment”, the overall show experience was lacking any real wow-factor. For a big brand making money in the masses, the display was more than a little reserved. Despite its stellar cast, featuring every model-of-the-moment, the show space was sans personality. The backdrop was simply a giant “F” logo which felt predictable and a little less considered than the men’s show back in June, which featured a fully-functioning neon light display and was in-keeping with the brand’s artistic heritage. And as the day was rounded off with an immersive (and iconic) Robbie Williams concert at the hands of Emporia Armani, Fendi’s offering stands at risk of fading into the background… at least until Insta’s peak time.
Images courtesy of Fendi