In Italy, there are a few fashion houses that set the trends, not only nationally, but worldwide. They know it, and they are aware of the attention that every proposal they present receives, as well as the great influence they have both on the market and on the rest of the brands. One of the luxury firms that make up this exclusive group is Fendi, which once again presented its new collection at its Milan headquarters during fashion week.
The last few seasons of the company founded by Adele Casagrande and Edoardo Fendi have been following a clear line of design, oriented towards minimalism and the absence of logos. For the coming Fall/Winter, this aesthetic will continue to be present, and this has been evident in the dozens of looks designed by the current creative director of the men’s and accessories line, Silvia Venturini Fendi, who has been inspired this time by two totally different worlds: the city and the countryside.
Countryside, for many, and especially for city dwellers, serves as a place to escape and disconnect. Everyone knows how beautiful the Italian countryside is. Silvia is a great lover of it and that is why she has taken it as a reference, along with the outdoor activities that can be done, to develop the FW 2024 range. For those days when the activities take place, Venturini has devised timeless and versatile clothing and accessories in winter tones (dark ochre tan, charcoal, forest green, vivid stripes of cornflower blue, cherry, and more), to be worn there or back in the city.
How will Fendi men dress next season? Wherever they are, they will be dressed in casual clothes with flowing lines, made with the dexterity of old and new techniques, such as the soft rubbing effect or the waxy polish of all-weather fabrics and the soft feel of loden. These techniques are employed in tailoring, sometimes in the spirit of the Scottish kilt; take for example the long pleated shorts combined with leather rain boots and hiking socks; the flat front kilt; or the classic trousers reworked with controlled pleats on each leg.
During the coldest months of the year, you can’t go outside without outerwear. This part could be considered the most important of these types of proposals, so much so that Fendi has shown a wide variety of them, some with raglan shoulders and flat leather buttons adorned with sellers’ fur collars and contrasting details in suede corduroy, fisherman coats, and waterproof waxed FF canvas jackets alongside opulent bomber jackets, and coats designed with trompe l’oeil sheepskin piping and stitching.
Underneath a coat, there is usually a knitted garment, sometimes in charge of elevating the look, either by its colour or shape. The Italian company’s offerings range from shimmering cable-knit thermo-pressed knitwear to ribbed jackets or triple-layer polo shirts. And suddenly another question arises: What could it be combined with? With other rich fabrics such as washed denim, mohair, leather, shiny satin, and lurex. The last three mentioned are part of the evening offer and make any outfit (or club in town) made of any of them sparkle, partly also because of the FF evening brooches in flowered crystal by the artistic director of jewellery, Delfina Delettrez Fendi.
Accessories are one of the most important parts of any renowned fashion house, and especially Fendi, the absolute leader in this field. The firm’s accessories collection is a spectacle of curves and contours for the senses, and to brighten up the eye and become objects of desire comes the new Siesta model, which flattens out like a pillow, available in striped quilted or sheepskin. Others that appeared on the catwalk include the foldable hobo bag, the backpack adorned with FF2 chrome hardware, the Peekaboo ISeeU Soft, or the Baguette Soft Trunk bag.
Footwear, like accessories, finishes off the looks, and as the date approaches, lace-up nautical elevated by platform soles or laceless sneakers with organic, injection-moulded soles and uppers with two-tone bubble detailing and metallic accents will be seen all over the place.
See the Fendi Fall/Winter 2024 collection below:
