Maria Grazia Chiuri has officially arrived at Fendi. Her debut for Autumn/Winter 2026-27 is a bold departure from the recent past, yet it carries the warmth of a true homecoming for Italian sisterhood. The newly appointed Creative Director has stepped back into the Roman workshops where her career first gained momentum almost two decades ago. This return to Fendi feels like the closing of a circle for the woman who once helped shape the iconic Baguette alongside Silvia Venturini Fendi.
The atmosphere inside the venue captured the spirit of a bustling family gathering, with a front row packed with icons defining different eras of cool. Uma Thurman sat alongside a glowing Monica Bellucci and Shailene Woodley, while Jessica Alba brought a touch of family legacy with her daughter, Haven.
Hints of Chiuri’s previous years in Paris were certainly present in the sharp waistlines and feminist undertones, yet the spirit was purely Roman. Her new motto, ‘Less I, more us’, acted as the heartbeat of the show. This philosophy celebrates the five Fendi sisters and the collective power of women working together. The clothes are designed to accommodate the body rather than control it, focusing on a tactile experience that feels like the personal geography of a life well-travelled.
Men and women walked the runway together to break down the barriers between masculine and feminine wardrobes. The collection featured sheer nylon polo tops, deconstructed kilts in grey herringbone, and leather coats with hand-cut floral embroidery. Meticulous lace dresses carried cues from the Dior tenure Chiuri just left behind, showing a structural precision that remains her signature. These gowns, occasionally finished with Watteau trains in vanilla and black lace, were accented by embroidered satin bows. The colour palette remained largely monochromatic, favouring deep blacks that allowed the sudden flashes of colour to hit with more impact. Vibrant bursts of lime ostrich leather, ruby red patent, and volcanic orange jacquard broke through the darkness, giving the collection a rhythmic pulse.
Slogan mania has taken over the runway in true Chiuri fashion. She collaborated with the artist SAGG Napoli to create pieces that feel like a modern manifesto. Football scarves and T-shirts were emblazoned with phrases such as ‘Loyal but not obedient’ and ‘Rooted but not stuck’, perhaps as a direct callback to her iconic ‘We should all be feminists’ tees. These lines challenge old ideas of femininity, suggesting that a woman can be part of a team without losing her own boundaries. The energy is a far cry from the logos of yesteryear, turning fashion into a shared conversation about identity and strength.
The bags have undergone a total transformation and look nothing like the icons we have seen before. The new Baguettes have a sculptural quality that feels fresh and unexpected. Chiuri looked to the archive of Mirella Bentivoglio to turn the bags into three-dimensional messages. Some feature graphic wordplay where letters become visual forms, while others showcase a striking array of textures. Most notable was a series of striped versions, including a standout red-and-ivory zebra print embellished with intricate bugle beading and finished with a contrasting snake-print strap.
Another version made a splash in a vibrant watermelon palette of crimson and green, while a cosy, tactile iteration in plush shearling added a soft, artisanal contrast to the collection’s sharper lines. In a nod to Chiuri’s penchant for powerful statements, several other Baguettes were kept sleek and minimalist, rendered in deep, light-absorbing shades of black leather that felt both modern and timeless.
The jewellery is equally clever, featuring ‘ear earrings’ shaped like actual ears and rings that slide to reveal hidden meanings between words like ‘marriage’ and ‘madhouse’.
Sustainability took a creative turn with the ‘Echo of Love’ project. This initiative involves unpicking and restyling old fur garments from the back of the wardrobe and turning them into contemporary silhouettes. It is a way of honouring the history of the house while embracing a circular economy. The process treats clothing as a memory archive, where the emotional connection to a piece is just as important as the fabric itself.
This debut proves that Fendi is entering an era where the collective is more powerful than the individual. Maria Grazia Chiuri has successfully woven her signature threads into the Fendi tapestry, leaving us all wanting to be part of her new squad.
Discover the Autumn/Winter 2026-27 collection here.
photography. courtesy of Fendi, Jacopo Raule, Daniele Venturelli
words. Gennaro Costanzo
