Fashion houses will often whisk guests away to far-flung bucket list destinations for seasonal shows – think: Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie or Egypt's Giza pyramids – but rarely will they take you to the very place where the sartorial magic happens. Well, that’s exactly what Fendi did for their spring/summer ’24 show yesterday, ushering everyone to their new €50 million leather goods factory, just outside of Florence, for an equally inward-looking show.
Granted, this isn’t your bog-standard, run of the mill factory – visually, anyway. The terracotta-hued building is set against a backdrop of Tuscan hills, where banks filled with olive trees (a new product proposition in the making?) were in clear view from the grassy rooftop – as seen by guests who went to admire the sunset post-show. You’d think this bag-building space is more in line with luxury riad-style hideaways often found outside the bustle of Marrakech. (In fact, I wasn’t the only attendee to note how happy I would be to call this my office.)
Inside, show seating weaved between artisans hard at work creating the newest edition of the luxury brand's Baguette bags, with curious guests craning over their shoulders with red-blinking smartphones. Then, once everyone had enough of the good stuff for their Instagram stories, we were encouraged to take our seats. The club-appropriate soundtrack started as the lull of sewing machines carried on in the background, flash lighting set the scene and reminded us that it is, in fact, the clothes that we’re actually here to see.
They were equally as captivating, and you could see that Silvia Venturini Fendi was also as mesmerised by her team as we were. The collection acted as an ode to the team that make it season after season, as pieces were imbued with the sense that they could serve as practical studio wear, while also looking Piazza Duomo-appropriate. Measuring tape lay across the shoulders of durable cotton-twill jackets, tactile mini-aprons topped tailored trousers and accessories came in the form of Fendi-printed coffee-cup holders, safety glasses and visitor passes. And then, the shoes! With no loafers or brogues in sight, nearly all the models (the others in trainers) strode down the runway in rubber-like clogs that emulated the styles worn around heavy-machinery.
Naturally, the leather was of the highest quality and was used a lot. The buttery-soft material was manipulated into more traditionally-designed jackets and trousers as well as utilitarian overalls. Instead of head-to-toe looks, it was often paired with deconstructed tailoring, where shirt sleeves were trailing behind an open-back halterneck fit and a classic pinstripe suit akin to a pre-production set that had stitches for fitting alterations.
While honouring the traditional techniques of the house's history, Silvia presented clothes that wouldn’t go amiss amongst purveyors of contemporary design. It showed that the Fendi man is willing and ready for a productive day at work, whether in a hands-on role or within an office. He doesn’t take himself too seriously but won’t compromise on quality, the type that isn’t precious about their clothes but really loves them. And just like Silvia, who closed the catwalk with her team following behind, he isn’t one to hog the limelight. After all, teamwork makes the dream work.
