Fendi represented one of the few brands that had opted to reveal its Fall Winter 2021 collection with a runway show including an audience but due to the further implementations of Covid-19 measures in Milan wasn’t able to do so. Nevertheless, the label decided to carry on its show without an audience, in the form of a video and through the modern vision of Silvia Venturini Fendi, which resulted as an innovative success.
The high-speed menswear fashion show that was characterised by its retro-futuristic outlook and fashionably pragmatic looks demonstrated the re-invention of the current fashion landscape. Fendi redefined winter fashion with looks that highly concentrated on the brand’s authenticity but with a shift towards comfort alongside our post-pandemic reality.
The classicism of the brand was incorporated into staple pieces such as puffer jackets and shearling coats which were accompanied by functional garments such as neutral-toned pyjamas and footwear. A curious detail of the collection, that undoubtedly represents Silvia Venturini Fendi’s vision of fashion versatility, being able to take an indoor look outdoors without losing the sense of style and exclusivity given by each individual piece.
It could be said that this was one of our favourite aspects of the show. Instead of focusing on what could’ve been and mourning the fashion elements that solely focused on our public sphere the Italian fashion house highlighted the importance of moving forwards. It encompassed the evolving trend of lounge-ready clothing and made staples out of the originality of a ‘new normal’.
Some of the most show-stopping looks included playful artwork that purposefully upgraded from the traditional logo approach. An example being the cursive Fendi lettering from the collaboration with Noel Fielding of look 23 or the multicoloured pattern of look 25. As explained by the designer herself to Vogue this reflected the increasing stylistic individuality we are witnessing :
“To avoid that fashionista attitude, I like to consider menswear through many different men who keep their personality… I think in the future, fashion is going to be more individualistic, and I wanted to keep that idea in the show.”
The success of the show wasn’t only due to this new outlook on menswear but also to its presentation. The show’s concept and video which was created by Nico Vascellari was everything but common. It attracted us from its inception, the vocal narration of Silvia Venturini Fendi gave it a personal touch that could often be missed due to the lack of human presence in the audience, and the electronic soundtrack by Not Waving perfectly complemented the futuristic style of the collection. The scenery that was defined by optimism and optical illusion was also a fresh aspect, however, at times the complexity of this visual concept and matching colourway distracted us from the looks themselves.
Words by Chiara Ferrari, Graphics by Victoria Zhao
