FENDI’s latest ready-to-wear collection is centered around juxtaposition. Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri cites E.E. Cummings’ poem,  “I Like My Body When It Is With Your” as a central inspiration. 

If a body is a vessel of desire and a garment is a vessel of the body, FENDI’s SS27 collection explores modern desire through a series of delicate balances. All 71 looks embrace both strength and fragility. FENDI asserts that clothing knows no gender, with each juxtaposition displaying the intricacies that unlock when masculinity and femininity intersect. Chiuri explores these nuances by pairing lace lingerie with cargo buckles, neutrals with neons, romantic satins with leather cuffs and collars. 

The second half of the runway leaned further into androgyny while maintaining the same contrasts from the beginning of the show. Looks centering denim and pinstripe trousers toyed with pairing structured garments with flowing textiles. Models were sent down the catwalk with snakeskin clutches and other leather goods, a nod to where the legacy house got its start. 

In a state of constant surveillance, FENDI speaks on what it means to be seen. The runway’s set was inspired by Luciano Fabro’s Cubo di Specchi (Mirror Cube). The hall of mirrors’ overwhelming reflection confronts the self, the spectator, and the other. Fittingly, FENDI hosted a star-studded front row, including Rachel Zegler, Yara Shahidi, Iris Law, and Maisie Williams.