Maria Grazia Chiuri made her debut as Fendi's creative director at Milan Fashion Week, eight months after leaving Dior. The catwalk was painted with the motto 'Less I, more us,' signalling a shift away from individual ego towards collective spirit.
Backstage, Chiuri explained that the motto celebrated the matriarchal heritage of Fendi, which has been led by four generations of women. She described it as 'the female way of doing fashion, and also the Italian way of doing fashion, which is about sharing ideas, and craftsmanship, and working in freedom.'
Chiuri, a Roman who spent a decade at Fendi as a young designer, framed herself as an upholder of tradition rather than a disruptor. Her collection featured oversized black blazers, jeans with trenchcoats, and cargo pants with trainers, with several models carrying two bags in a commuter style.
Addressing Fendi's problematic heritage as a fur house, Chiuri used only archival fur on the catwalk and introduced an atelier where clients can repurpose vintage furs. 'Fur is very durable,' she said. 'To me, fur can be about the softness and sensuality of Fendi.'
The show also paid homage to Karl Lagerfeld, who was hired by the Fendi sisters in 1965 and designed the double F logo. Evening gowns featured Karl-coded starched white collars, and striped scarves with a '5 SISTERS' slogan declared allegiance to the Fendi family.
Chiuri, credited as a co-designer of the iconic Baguette bag, featured a red-and-ivory zebra striped version with a snake print strap. She noted to American Vogue that her strong sales at Dior were not celebrated in the same way as a male designer's would have been, saying, 'When a male designer has a big number, he has a business sense. But if a woman designer does a big number, it is because she is commercial.'
