Cool, calm and collected – that is what Fendi is betting on for SS23. With a palette of camel, denim, and ochres, the Italian Luxury house is opting for fringe, cow prints, and bulky bags for menswear.
The only light on the Fendi runway comes from some large neon Fs, hanging around the elongated shoebox-shaped room where the Italian luxury house is hosting their SS23 runway for Milan men’s fashion week. The lighting is cold, the space narrow and the music ominous as the audience sits on the perimeter of the light blue flooring.
Once the models start to appear, the music takes a turn and merges into a 1980’s-esque beat, accompanying the models who all seem to dress in some version of camel, brown, or denim blue, with the occasional yellow accent.
It’s a take on the complementary colours of orange and blue but muted to preserve a certain serenity and seriousness which tends to characterize Fendi’s elegance in design.
The show begins with a certain calmness to the outfits, building up to a crescendo of darker and more powerful shades as the show unwinds.
Fendi is primarily opting for large, bulky bags for menswear this season, accessorized with bucket hats and Fendi-printed scarves. We also see smaller bags, hanging around the model’s necks, stamped in Fendi Fs in different shades of brown.
The star of the show, however, is the fringes. From denim patchwork rimmed in fringed fabric to a striped oversize jacket decorated, once again, with fringes. It is not just clothing, the accessories themselves are adorned in distressed fabric; from hats to shoes to bags.
Another noteworthy trend; is the cow print. Used primarily in its brown form, Fendi seems to be betting high on animal print and textures with abstract-looking patterns that resemble tie-dye stains in ochres, yellows, and blues. It is somewhat of a luxury-fashion take on cowboy extravaganza soaked in denim.
As the runway comes to a close, we start seeing an inclination towards leather and shinier fabrics, with the occasional silk-looking shirt and short-fur coats.
The lighter browns and ochres start to become less prominent, instead of being replaced by black-on-black outfits with blue and the occasional accent in bright orange
At this point the runway looks entirely different than it did at the start – the looks stand out a lot more and the blacks lead the stage.
Silvia Venturini Fendi makes a quick appearance at the end, not really walking much or bringing any attention to herself. She opted for an outfit that did not detract from her work – a conservative white jacket, dark denim trousers, and camel open-toe sandals.