MFW – Fendi S/S2020

It must be odd for anyone to find themselves in the strange position of stepping in to continue the legacy of a company that shares your name.  Especially when it has long since become synonymous with someone else entirely.  That’s the position Silvia Venturini Fendi found herself in after the sudden passing of Karl Lagerfeld.  Continuing the family legacy under such circumstances must have proved daunting.  Fortunately, Silvia was born with the same genes that made Fendi the luxury fashion giant it is in the first place so there was never any real need to worry.

For her first women’s ready-to-wear show for the house Silvia relied on those impeccable instincts to present a collection for Milan Fashion Week that combined classic lines, youthful edges and a definite green-fingered theme for those who like a bit of gardening in their summer.

The classic lines were evident with the beautiful tailored jackets and coats – like the sumptuous chocolate suede jacket with the perforated panelling worn over a fine rib knit top and cheeky check hot pants or the almost workman-like two-tone boiler suit and/or plain canvas trousers worn under a matching canvas overcoat or floor-sweeping chocolate trench coat.

The youthful influences were seen in the repetition of the quilted fabrics seen all over the catwalk, like the high-waisted, flared short shorts, the mid-length skirts and matching jackets and the long dresses and overcoats.  All the looks that came down the catwalk were teamed with either low-heeled shoes or sandals with bunched up socks or chunky platform flip-flops to add to the slightly less regimented, more rebellious aura of the collection.

A green-fingered theme was also prevalent throughout the collection.  It was foliage, as opposed to just flowers, that graced many of the designs.  Whether its was on shirts, dresses, coats, jackets, skirts or bags it could be seen everywhere – which makes us think Silvia has an incredible garden she’s maintaining somewhere that we’re now dying to see.

Of course, Fendi is also one of the few designers to still use fur in their collections and while it may not seem like a fabric that is compatible with summer they use it to great effect to create pieces to suit cool evenings and special events.  The half sleeve fur jacket with the botanical trim was particularly stunning and it remains to be seen just how far outside of Fendi’s core luxury clientele these fur pieces continue to reach in the future.

It may seem obvious to say but, with her spectacular first women’s collection Silvia Venturiini Fendi has proved herself to be the perfect person to carry on the Fendi legacy.

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