In an elegant world of silver, rose and ivory, the Fendi Couture Spring Summer 2021 Collection is a masterpiece of high fashion and luxury, a journey through the decadent visual language of masculinity and femininity.

Streamed from a vast, labyrinthine set formulated of glass cases, bookshelves and floral growth, the new Fendi collection draws on inspirations from Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando, erasing the delineations of gender, as well as the marbles of Bernini, evoking the timeless opulence of the Galleria Borghese in Rome, home of the maison.

Fabrics, colors and shape come together to compose a collection of sheer regality, a feat of harmony, nature and the ambiguousness of androgyny in the first Fendi Couture show by Artistic Director Kim Jones. 

The collection is embedded with stardust, embellished with the heavens, interlaced with literary references in book clutches and leather boots. Excerpts from letters between Virginia and Vita Woolf are read to kickstart the runway show, and the collection that follows is interlaced with the world of Woolf, lines of text inscribed into Mother of Pearl minaudières, the Orlando reality embedded across garments that pave way to woven jacquards, intarsia furs and hand-beaded tailoring reminiscent of the Galleria Borghese.

Whimsical and romantic, the collection navigates through a muted color palette of soft hues—charcoal and gray are interwoven throughout full-length gowns, sheer capes and suits, while ivory embellishments and rose detailing are added to gowns that border on otherworldly, a complement to pale, earthy tones of sand and azure. 

As a whole, Fendi presents a collection that is nothing short of divine. Models grace the catwalk—an architectural triumph of wood, fauna and glass—in garments with Fendi’s classic sophistication and luxury, with impeccable drapery and tapering elevating every look. Skirts and dresses are cut to the floor, and where necks and arms are exposed, they are often layered with sheer, shimmery material. Everything flows in a fluid, angelic motion; sleeves are long, suits are cut sharply, sometimes adorned with a flowing cape behind them.

Fendi plays with light and fabrics with the collection, adding classical elements of glimmer and gleam to every look. Silk and satin play peak roles, while details like allover pearl embellishments and subtle sequins draw the eye to the movement of each piece, buffing over the lines that separate gender, drawing on inspirations of art, beauty, effervescence, immortality. 

Traditional menswear and womenswear shapes play no role in Jones’ collection; suit jackets merge halfway through their construction with floor-length gowns, and skirts and dresses are detailed with lapels and sharp tailoring, subverting the mechanics of high fashion in an effortlessly sleek manner. 

Accessories play an intrinsic role in defining the collection’s classical beauty, drawing inspiration across cultures and time, from the innovative, refined British Bloomsbury to the playful, intricate architecture of the Italian Baroque. Every look is adorned with long, flowing earrings, gems and metal brushing collarbones; headpieces bring the looks to places of divine, emulating monarchs or deities.

Standout pieces of the collection include a seafoam gown, sleeveless on one side and morphing into a sequined blazer on the other; an ivory ensemble connecting a white bodysuit with two pearl overlay coats, divinely delicate yet powerful; a rose embellished gown, giving way to a gray suit jacket across the right shoulder; and a black gown with a cutout chest and halter neck, overlaid by a sheer, billowing charcoal cape, glimmering against the light.

Watch the Fendi Couture Spring/Summer 2021 runway show above and view the collection here.