Sometimes it’s beneath the prettiest façades that the deepest truths lie. Through the FENDI Women’s Fall/Winter 2020-2021 Collection, creative director Silvia Venturini Fendi delves into the dual personalities of la donna FENDI, charting the idiosyncrasies of her potent femininity. The subversive concept of ‘soft power’ emerges – from the boudoir to the boardroom, an expression of all things ladylike charged with emotion and ritual. Polarities of colour and texture prescribe smooth concrete greys and warm neutrals against a flush of pastels and a sunny FENDI yellow. Structure and softness dominate, asserting an illicit balance between strict austerity and sensuous abandon.
Emerging through offbeat contrasts and elegant monochromy, a heady mix of cashmere, fur, leather and lace become the pillars of this season’s FENDI wardrobe. Tailoring and outerwear is built around a nipped waist; flared officer’s coats, burnished perfectos and high-octane blazers are boned through the bodice with shoulders that plane to a flat point or drop into a Juliet sleeve. Voluptuous shapes unfurl into cozy loopback sweaters, a bonded leather accordion skirt and bibbed organdie blouses – countering the strict line of a nurse’s collar, men’s shirt stripes or corset detailing in quilted satin and felt. Revisiting animalia, a paisley of leopard spots appears in brushed wool tailoring and intarsia fur, whilst ornamentation arrives in a swathe of fringed beads or the neon shock of apricot Chantilly lace. Provocative yet restrained, a daring education from FENDI’s femme fatale is the order of the day.
The FENDI Fall/Winter 2020-2021 Accessories Collection exemplifies this season’s boudoir themes, as padded lambskin ‘brace’ booties and satin ‘suspender’ pumps elicit vampish airs.
In three sizes, a new accordion-frame Peekaboo bag opens in a deep ‘smile’ to reveal interchangeable inside pockets in smooth leather and precious skins. It appears also dipped in gold leather fringes or traced with appliqué lacework and beaded tassels.
The iconic Baguette bag in handknit wool is joined leather shopper bags and charms inspired by vintage FENDI packaging, returning from the last Men’s Collection.
In collaboration with the London-based accessories brand Chaos designed by Charlotte Stockdale and Katie Lyall, a series of ‘tech jewellery’ pieces and small accessories offer a luxurious alternative to everyday storage. No device is left uncovered, from woven gold mesh smart phone pouches to a perforated ‘FF’ minaudière, smart earphones and smart watch keychains. Leather straps, zipper lanyards and chainlink bracelets sport an assortment of alphabet charms, gilded lighters and a discreet shot glass set. A scribble pen earring functions on paper and tablets alike.
The FENDI Women’s Fall/Winter 2020-2021 runway show features a live soundtrack by SONOIO, an electronic music project by Italian musician Alessandro Cortini, touring keyboardist of the internationally acclaimed industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails.
