Fendi: Extravagance & Affluence
By Michelle Taylor
Photos by Giovanni Pucci

MILAN, Feb 27, 2004/ FW/ --- Fendi is synonymous with fur, leather, excess and expensive, an elegant woman for Fendi fall 2004/05.

Karl Lagerfeld should have felt like the king of the castle yesterday after the Fendi show, because in a season where designers here in Milan have almost all discovered the joy of fur, he and Fendi have become masters in its moulding.

Fendi has never made any excuses for using, or loving fur and leather, politically correct or not, they are at least coherent, and why not, they have always been leaders in creating luxury.

This collection is elegant, but it is a type of elegance that is cold and removed, Lagerfeld’s stale colour palette is mild and wintry, moving from shades of grey to brown and burgundy. The only hint of light came from silver inserts in either crocodile or snake as Lagerfeld continues to look to the future.

Silhouettes are slim in thin trousers and figure hugging satin pencil skirts contouring the waist and hips while the bra tops under chiffon or breast accentuating shirts trace the eye directly and shamelessly to the upper body.

The double F logo has been pulled out of the closet and been deposited in large letters down tops whether in traditional form or reworked, styled and then printed onto soft transparent flowing fabric.

Fur is everywhere, as long coats, knitted, draped blanket style over shoulders, as mini bolero’s, layered and sleeveless. Extravagance and affluence.

Accessories are chunky layers of multiple bracelets that move up both arms, belts over coats and the new ‘vanity bag’ with mirrors inside and out.

Fendi, together with Lagerfeld succeeds in creating a collection for lovers of the elite, precious and rare and after a few dubious seasons, the LVMH executives in front row was smiling from ear to ear.

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