The opening line of a famous poem by American artist E.E. Cummings states: “I like my body when it is with your body.” Welcoming guests to the Fendi Spring/Summer 2027 show, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s third act since taking the creative helm at the Roman house, the phrase served as an invitation to self-reflection and its impact on dressing.
More literally, the label’s mirror-filled Milanese show space created an infinite, modern-day ode to ‘Cubo di specchi,’ a 1967-1975 performance and art piece by Italian conceptual artist Luciano Fabro. For Chiuri, it seems like staring at ourselves - and each other - is more than fundamental. It’s freeing; current.
Added to the vision was a 1974 televised music and dance performance of "Prisencolinensinainciusol,” by singer-songwriter Adriano Celentano and legendary performer Raffaella Carrà. The gibberish song, released in the ‘70s to mimic American English, was Chiuri’s chosen soundtrack for the season, while Carrà’s subversive, independent nature and celebrated body of work served as a major mood reference.
Woven into set design, concept, and music choices were, of course, the clothes, a continuous signifier of Chiuri’s recent aims of exploring how our bodies interpret desire. Compared to her previous Fendi shows, silhouettes remained straight-lined and clean, with lightweight undergarments and sheer, lingerie-themed pieces championed and adorned with embroidery, lace, and mosaic-like knitted elements.
As for the palette, black, white, and their muted variations continued to be a favourite, yet a subtle touch of vibrancy was now introduced through the use of blush pink and peach tones, light lime greens and sky blues.
Juxtaposed were fur stoles and mélange fur coats, previously seen on the F/W 2026 couture collection. Materiality and texture represented clashing notions of strength and fragility, contrasting between heavier outerwear and soft underwear, where silk shared the space with velvet, and shiny coatings merged with matte finishes.
Graphic and animal prints, burnt orange, olive and brown, equally contributed to the context. Leather chokers and fishnet stockings, rope belts and crystal-embellished headscarves, studded heels and deep V-neck cuts, the latter especially highlighted on the men’s looks, made SS27 part sexy, part glitter rock.
New iterations of the Fendi Baguette were placed on the catwalk to increase its all-time desirability factor, including ‘70s-inspired embroidered styles and the debut of a mini, phone-friendly version.
Following this idea of an interchangeable wardrobe, something Chiuri previously mentioned since starting to design for Fendi, the lineup aimed for a metamorphic effect, where masculine, feminine, and everything in between meet each other, with no boundaries. Infinite possibilities, just like in a mirrored room.
Words by Ketlyn Araujo
