Fendi Menswear AW23 – Milan Fashion Week

Silvia Venturini Fendi presented her new menswear collection for the legendary House at Milan Fashion Week, and it was yet another to shrewdly play with the perceived notions of masculine and feminine styling for AW23.  The collection’s theme (almost) reads like a title from a classic TLC album.  This was menswear made to be ‘cosy, sexy, cool’.  And, for all the men (and women) amongst us, you’d be ‘crazy’ not to fall in love with it.

The first thing that was immediately evident was the fluidity of all of the lines.  There’s real skill to constructing sharp tailoring that moves this well with the body.  It’s all very well looking good when you’re standing still (or posing in front of a camera).  But the actual drama comes with movement, and Silvia’s creative eye is flawless here.  The effortless style was enhanced by the structured oversized silhouettes that have been a favourite at MFWM for autumn/winter this year.  Coats, jackets and scarves seemed to envelope each model in turn.  And yet, the pin sharp tailoring prevented anyone from looking overwhelmed or swamped.  That’s the skill.

Elsewhere, the collection pushed right up against traditional gender boundaries and poked a few holes in it with flowing wraps worn over formal looks, extravagant extra-large fringing on hems and bags, sheer and barely there knitwear tops, and subtle cut-out panelling.  Perhaps the most eye-catching of all were the daring one-shoulder designs seen in the knitwear and some of the formal shirts.  For those brave enough to face the looming winter chills later, all eyes will definitely be on you.

Asymmetry was also a bold feature of the new narrative, perhaps reflecting the deliberately destabilising and forcefully challenging nature of fashion’s new normal.  Cleverly, the colour palette adds a welcome counterweight for the newly initiated and the eager to explore.  Muted tones of stone and sand graduate to warm browns and tans, with splashes of agile purples balancing out the stark greys and base black throughout.

‘Sophisticated comfort, the opulence of the everyday and the elegance of the unexpected’ goes the mantra.  Everything just so.  For Fendi menswear AW23, could we really have expected anything less?

Click here for more information on Fendi Menswear AW23

To read the review of the Gucci mens AW23 show, click here