God bless Silvia Venturini Fendi! In her third collection after Kim Jones’ exit, the heir of the Fendi legacy gave a masterful lesson in pushing a legacy forward. The house, long associated with fur and a sense of whimsy, leaned into its play element. Inspired by her large family (and her pregnant daughter), the designer brought about a collection that was light – even youthful at times – but never infantile.
The use of colour was one of the highlights: bright blues in chic shirt dresses and red suits weren’t garish. Bright rectangular straps united the buttons on smart jackets, almost resembling Legos. Knitted sets grounded the collection, the homely connotation of the textile neutralised by tighter silhouettes.
Athleisure elements interjected moments of definite femininity. A drawstring punctuated the waist in a pleated, tiered dress. A hooded nylon parka broke up a pencil skirt and grey jacket set. A particularly brilliant tracksuit combined the same grey fabric with the idiosyncratic Fendi fur. Brown furry stripes placed at the collar, ankles and hip made an otherwise sane outfit into a textured dream.
Classic femininity was more than a muse for Venturini Fendi; it was a medium. Floral patterns were subverted and then reintroduced with precision, appearing sparingly in full lace sets. Cut-outs in the shape of simplistic flowers revealed the skin underneath cropped leather jackets and heavy overshirts.
Just like in these, a transparent combo of a shirt and jacket showed the model’s body through the two layers. And, while the idea of translucency is inherently sensual, here that tone was overruled by something more clever. The last section explored this idea thoroughly, with sheer dresses with misaligned panels giving the impression that they were put on the wrong way around, like a child might. Spring/Summer 2026 felt like a balancing act. Venturini Fendi is aware of the weight on her shoulder – the same that has been in the family for two generations before her – but she’s handling it with deft lightness.
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
