Image Credit: Fendi

Designers have reacted to the working from a home era in their own way. Some have decided to embrace the dressed-down style in their collections, showcasing pique cotton tracksuits and luxury slippers. Meanwhile, others have looked forward, promising a world of stiff tailoring and sharp collars. With Fendi’s FW21 men’s collection, Silvia Venturini Fendi has brought a more realistic approach into play.

Shown digitally at Milan Fashion Week, Silvia Venturini Fendi’s collection adapted to these times while refusing to be sucked into the epoch of the working from home era. The collection takes a playful and colourful approach to the casualisation of menswear. 

Fendi’s collection rejects the notion of dressing down in 2021, choosing instead to focus on the ultra-luxury trend that has appeared in recent months. We may have grown accustomed to sweatpants and slippers, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t want to dress up, even if it’s just to pick up our newspaper or hop onto zoom calls. Fendi featured colourful dressing-gown-like coats, oversized with loosely tied belts, as well as tailored two-piece pyjamas. Fendi chose to focus on formal leather shoes as well as waterproof boots which feature a removable soft lining. 

Silvia Venturini Fendi understands that the pandemic is still not over and wants us to acclimatise rather than lazily admit defeat or hastily fasten a tie. The show video began with a Facetime Ringtone as models walked through neon lights and blaring electronic music. There certainly was an essence of youth. Similar to Heidi Slimane’s ‘Dancing Kid’ collection for CELINE, Fendi’s neon lights reminded us of TikTok teens. 

Her clothes are powerful, and confidence-inspiring, but they adhere to a less rigid structure than previous collections. The outerwear is less fitted and softer, long-johns are no longer for early morning hiking trails and fleece is a perfectly acceptable material to wear round the clock. 

Fendi also tapped Great British Bake Off host and serial designer shirt wearer, Noel Fielding, for their collection. His psychedelic artwork is featured all across Fendi’s AW21 collection. The Mighty Boosh creator’s brightly coloured work made its way onto Fendi’s Peekaboo bag, coats, and of course, their printed shirts. 

Paying true homage to its Italian roots, some of the models were draped in beige silk shirts and wore stone-coloured straight fitted trousers. These clothes gave semblance to classic Italian style, one that champions tonal looks and sprezzatura. Other models appeared in bright mono-coloured outfits; wearing forest green trenches and tapered trousers as well royal blue quilted coats with matching leather bags in tow. 

Speaking of, in the race to release the next It bag, Fendi seems confident to take the top spot. The collection included a number of leather bags, from bright yellow leather backpacks to a vibrant take on their ‘Baguette’ bag. 

Fendi’s world is optimistic, and in the current climate, it’s a world we are happy to believe in.

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