After the Paris debut of their Spring Summer 2021 couture collection in January, Fendi invites viewers back to their dreamlike world of literary romance for another viewing at Shanghai Exhibition Centre.

Alongside Kim Jones’ collection, the accompanying Exhibition of Rare Books and Manuscripts served as a muse for the garments, drawing inspiration from Virginia Woolf’s love letter Orlando to Vita Sackville-West. Elements from text find their way into book clutches, minaudières, and leather boots. The collection intersperses the writers’ British sensibility with the Roman Maison’s starry-eyed idealism. 

In lieu of models like Bella Hadid, Kate Moss, and Naomi Campbell, Fendi invited Chinese models along with celebrities such as actress Zhao Tao and singer Jike Junyi to don the ethereal pieces. Luxe, fanciful textures, and shapes breathe life into the collection — billowing wefts of draped silk and satin in muted tones; layers of sheer, liquescent fabrics over decadent beading; sumptuous furs paired with oversized earrings. An ivory mesh gown and cape glisten with pearl embellishments, and swirls of marble on opulent jacquard evoke Rome’s Galleria Borghese. 

Fendi’s heritage runs through the collection’s veins, with monograms from Karl Lagerfield’s final collection embroidered onto boots and vintage elements like velvet ribbons made new again. Friends of the brand such as China Brand Ambassador Tan Zhuo are encased in lush glass vitrines, overseeing the presentation.

The collection’s storied opulence flourishes in a new presentation, honoring Fendi’s European roots and relationships overseas.