FENDI 100 YEAR LEGACY, GENERATIONS OF FUR

“Fendi reminds me of the future. I didn’t want to spend too much time dwelling on the physical archives. For me, Fendi 100 is more about my personal memories – real or imagined of what Fendi was and what Fendi means today.” – Silvia Venturini Fendi.

In a nostalgic nod to the house’s rich history, Silvia Fendi paid homage to her very first Fendi memory during the 100th-anniversary show. The event commenced with a throwback to the moment when, at his first show in 1966, Karl Lagerfeld had asked a six-year-old Silvia to walk the runway in an endearing equestrian outfit.

Fast-forward to the present, Fendi’s grandchildren, Tazio and Dardo, both also aged six, opened the show by stepping through supersized replicas of the doors of the original Fendi atelier. Adorning replicas of the same outfit Silvia wore in her first show, this heartwarming tribute beautifully encapsulated the brand’s enduring family legacy and its continued relevance in the ever-evolving world of fashion.

Silvia Venturini Fendi, in celebration of Fendi’s 100th anniversary and five generations of the family’s legacy, presented an unforgettable Women’s and Men’s show that transported guests back in time to the brand’s historic salons. The set, reminiscent of the spaces where the Fendi sisters – Anna, Carla, Franca and Paola – once worked and played, captured the essence of timelessness that has defined the brand for a century.

In Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection, Venturini Fendi masterfully reimagined the brand’s core elements, seamlessly blending sensuality with Roman precision and infusing the designs with a subtle mix of irony and restrained humor. The show marked the grand finale of Fendi’s centennial celebrations, cementing its status as a touchstone of Italian craftsmanship and leaving an indelible impression on the world of fashion.

Silvia Venturini Fendi, the esteemed Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear at Fendi, recently shared her inspiration behind the house’s coed anniversary show. Instead of delving into Fendi’s extensive archives, Venturini drew from her personal memories to create a unique and heartfelt collection.

This approach added a deeply personal touch to the show, making it a more intimate and meaningful celebration of Fendi’s centenary. As the fashion world continues to evolve, Venturini’s decision to infuse her own experiences into her designs serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of creativity and authenticity in the industry.

“I like the testimony of time, touched different decades, but I also try to avoid a specific one… I give a lot of respect to the fact that when something is beautiful, it’s beautiful always.” said Silvia.

Indeed, the Fendi Fall/Winter 2025 show featured an impressive lineup of models, including senior models and well-known supermodels such as Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes, Karen Elson, Liya Kebede, Carolyn Murphy, Eva Herzigova, Liu Wen, and Gabbriette. Their presence on the runway added an extra layer of excitement to the already highly anticipated event.

Fendi is renowned for its luxurious fur, which has been an integral part of its style for decades, combining modern elegance with expert craftsmanship. Lace, another signature element, brings softness and femininity to the designs, creating a balanced aesthetic that blends luxury, strength, and softness. For the Fall/Winter 2025 collection, Fendi showcased luxurious fur in the form of scarves, outer jackets, bags, and even as embellishments on pleated skirts.

The Fendi Fall/Winter 2025 collection expertly combined traditional tailoring with contemporary design elements, resulting in an air of timeless elegance. The opening look showcased a luxurious fur coat with a high collar, accentuating the model’s figure with a cinched waist achieved through the use of a gold belt. This masterful combination of form and function established a sophisticated tone for the collection.

As the show progressed, Fendi presented a variety of ensembles that highlighted the brand’s signature blend of craftsmanship and innovation. The collection featured an array of luxurious fabrics, intricate details, and elegant silhouettes that exuded modern refinement. From tailored separates to flowing dresses, each piece demonstrated Fendi’s commitment to creating elevated, versatile garments for the discerning fashion aficionado.

The Fall/Winter 2025 collection paid homage to Fendi’s rich history, while also embracing the ever-evolving landscape of fashion. By balancing classic sartorial elements with contemporary design, the collection showcased Fendi’s ability to remain at the forefront of the industry, redefining luxury for the modern era.

The Fendi Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection paid homage to the brand’s rich history by subtly referencing iconic silhouettes and motifs from past decades. Silvia Fendi, drawing upon her own personal memories, included a nod to the 1966 show with lace-edged drop waist gowns—a style she herself had coveted.

For the Fendi Fall/Winter 2025 collection, the brand emphasized its luxurious fur and lace elements, blending modern elegance with expert craftsmanship. Fendi applied its signature fur in various ways, transforming it into scarves, outer jackets, bags, and even as embellishments on pleated skirts. The A-line skirts featured a pleated silhouette with additional fur sewn onto the bottom side, adding texture and dimension to the pieces.

The inclusion of lace in the collection contributed to a balance between luxury, strength, and softness, reflecting the brand’s commitment to its heritage while incorporating contemporary design elements. Fendi’s ability to adapt and reimagine its iconic fur and lace combinations demonstrates its continued relevance and influence in the world of high fashion.

Throughout the Fall/Winter 2025 collection, Fendi paid tribute to its 100-year history and the five generations of the Fendi family, highlighting the brand’s enduring legacy and impact on the fashion industry.

The collection also featured check separates, house Pequin stripe dresses, and banana-shouldered dresses in quilted leather, which subtly evoked the styles of the 1920s, 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s, respectively. This thoughtful blending of vintage-inspired elements with contemporary design demonstrated Fendi’s ability to seamlessly fuse the past and present, creating a collection that is both timeless and modern.

By incorporating these nostalgic references, the Fall 2025 collection celebrated Fendi’s enduring legacy, showcasing the brand’s commitment to innovation while remaining grounded in its rich heritage.

The zigzag mink coats were an exception, the use of shearling throughout the collection highlighted Fendi’s commitment to exploring alternative materials and techniques that maintain the brand’s signature opulence while addressing contemporary concerns.

As the fashion industry navigates the evolving dialogue surrounding the use of fur, Fendi’s adoption of shearling—a skin of a newly shorn lamb with the wool left attached—demonstrates the brand’s adaptability and willingness to embrace more ethically sourced materials. This shift not only showcases Fendi’s forward-thinking approach to design but also sets an example for other luxury brands to consider more sustainable and responsible alternatives.

Co-ed fashion shows often face the challenge of maintaining a balanced presentation, as womenswear typically takes center stage. However, at Fendi’s 100th-anniversary show, there was a harmonious interplay between genders, demonstrated through various design elements. Kid hair mohair knits in broad horizontal degrade stripes, intricate embroidered embellishments, luxurious cashmere polos, and two striking mink coats in zigzag stripes of tonal house browns, showcased the unification of masculine and feminine styles. Even the nail art contributed to this sense of cohesiveness.

This thoughtful integration of gender-neutral designs not only highlighted Fendi’s commitment to inclusivity but also added depth and diversity to the overall aesthetic of the show. By seamlessly blending styles and elements traditionally associated with different genders, the brand demonstrated its ability to create fashion that transcends conventional boundaries and celebrates individuality.

The Fendi Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection, celebrating the brand’s 100th anniversary, seamlessly blended archives, modernity, and emotion, as described by Silvia Fendi. The show paid tribute to Fendi’s rich history, with Silvia Fendi sharing her earliest memories and showcasing designs that honored the brand’s past while looking towards the future.

Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection showcased the brand’s innovative spirit by applying traditional techniques, such as intarsia, honeycomb, and Gheronato patchwork, to shearling – a material that typically serves as a more ethical alternative to mink and sable. This creative approach redefined luxury in a contemporary context, infusing the materials with rich texture and depth while maintaining Fendi’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.

By reimagining these time-honored techniques and applying them to shearling, Fendi successfully showcased the harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern sensibility. This bold move not only set Fendi apart in the luxury fashion industry but also emphasized the brand’s dedication to evolving with the times and pushing boundaries in design and material use.

The collection featured innovative pieces, such as removable stoles in mohair or shearling, which created the illusion of fur facades on collarless coats and dresses. This creative approach not only paid homage to Fendi’s signature use of fur but also demonstrated the brand’s adaptability to changing tastes and trends.

The Fendi 100th anniversary show was an awe-inspiring event that brought together celebrities, fashion enthusiasts, and industry insiders to celebrate the brand’s enduring legacy and continued relevance. As Fendi moves forward into its next century, it continues to push the boundaries of fashion and design, leaving a lasting impact on the industry.

The Fendi Fall/Winter 2025 collection showcased a diverse array of outerwear, with each piece demonstrating the brand’s signature attention to detail and commitment to impeccable craftsmanship. Low-cut men’s coats, satin-lined blazers, and oversized lambskin trench coats were among the standout pieces, seamlessly blending classic tailoring with modern sensibilities.

The collection’s focus on outerwear served as a testament to Fendi’s enduring legacy in the fashion industry, while also highlighting the brand’s ability to adapt to changing trends and preferences. Through the combination of timeless elegance and innovative design, Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection pushed the boundaries of outerwear, solidifying the brand’s position as a leader in luxury fashion.

While certain menswear items in the Fendi Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection, like the eye-catching lemon yellow yolk-hemmed caban coat—a piece that clearly embodied Silvia Fendi’s personal style—stood out, the menswear line was somewhat overshadowed by the captivating womenswear offerings. This disparity is not uncommon in fashion shows, as womenswear often garners more attention due to its wider range of styles and design possibilities.

However, Fendi’s commitment to excellence and innovation was apparent throughout the entire collection, with characters crafted in upcycled fabrics and an array of charms inspired by the show. The brand’s opulent centennial celebration at Milan Fashion Week highlighted Fendi’s rich history as a maker of luxurious fur stoles and its evolution into a touchstone of Italian craftsmanship, thanks to the creative direction of the late Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi.