An Italian heatwave with Fendi

An Italian heatwave with Fendi

Taken from the pages of Gentleman's Journal, the Fendi summer capsule 2025 looks to back on the brand's future

Words: Zak Maoui

Photography: Adam Fussell

Styling: Zak Maoui

Fendi marks its centenary year in 2025, and to celebrate the Italian brand has harked back to one of the most notable years in its history.

For the Summer 2025 collection the Roman House nodded to the debut collection in 1978 from Karl Lagerfeld, who was a designer and then creative director at Fendi from 1965 to his death in 2019.What is notable is that the first collection from Karl wasn’t immortalised as a traditional fashion show, but instead as Histoire D’eau, a film that followed a Fendi-clad Susy Dyson as she sojourned through Rome, taking in its sun-basked architecture and delights.It was directed by his lifelong partner and confidante Jacques De Bascher, epitomised the idea of an Italian summer, and today is seen by many historians in the field as the first fashion film.

FENDI top in Bouclé, £650, swimsuit with stripes, £680, sandal in suede with FF buckle detail, £710, shopping bag in multi-coloured canvas, £1,750, all fendi.com

FENDI Go-To jacket in Fendi Zucca denim, £1,600, shirt in linen with Fendi Zucca stitching, £1,150, shorts in Fendi Zucca denim, £950, all fendi.com

FENDI jacket in wool silk with coral embroidery, £4,050, shirt in heavy cotton with coral embroidery, £1,400, trousers in wool silk,£870,Melon small bag in full-grained leather, £1,300, all fendi.com

The Summer 2025 collection takes its cues from Dyson’s jaunt, and a colour palette comprising garments in coral red, sandy terracotta, seafoam and ocean blue are perfect for the warmer months. In tune with the craftsmanship behind film, the collection is rich with the reputable savoir faire of the Fendi ateliers, and suiting is embellished with intricate bead detailing while swim shorts and vests are cut from thick, sweat-wicking cotton.

The collection has the flair of seafarers on the Riviera in the Seventies, but with contemporary elegance. Accessories are part of the charm, and a raffia tote bag comes in the collection’s signature stripe, while a leather Melon bag is a pip of beach or street carry-round.

The FENDI Summer 2025 collection is available in FENDI boutiques worldwide from 1st May

This story was taken from the Spring 2025 issue of Gentleman's Journal

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