fendi | the cruise 2027 collection

Fendi.

 

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s second act at Fendi arrives with far more clarity. Cruise 2027 strips away the grand declarations and focuses instead on what Chiuri appears most invested in rebuilding at the Roman house right now: a sharper, more instinctive wardrobe centred on material, construction and the way clothes sit against the body.

Presented through the dreamlike short film ‘Beyond the Mirror,’ developed alongside a poetic text by Italian author Rosa Matteucci, the collection also signals a new chapter for Fendi. Following months of speculation surrounding the brand’s creative direction after Kim Jones stepped away from womenswear last year, Chiuri roots the house back into a distinctly Italian idea of dressing, one tied to craftsmanship, sensuality and the understated codes of bourgeois wardrobes.

Her interpretation of ‘bourgeoisie’ has little to do with old-money stiffness. Here, it becomes a fluid conversation between generations, genders and attitudes. Men and women appear almost mirrored throughout the collection, sharing elongated shirting, lean tailoring and hybrid pieces that collapse traditional distinctions between masculine and feminine dressing. One standout look merges a crisp white shirt directly into tailored black trousers, creating the illusion of a single uninterrupted garment. Elsewhere, lightweight georgette dresses are layered beneath heavy leather plastrons, while delicate silver lace and sequinned evening pieces insert a sharp metallic gleam into an otherwise sober, black-heavy palette.

Fendi.

Fendi.

Accessories carried the strongest narrative. Chiuri revives the Fendi Baguette through a far darker lens than the playful Y2K versions currently dominating fashion’s obsession cycle. The iconic bag arrives in parchment leather and studded black finishes, tapping into the Roman house’s longstanding fascination with texture and artisanal surface treatment. Parchment itself becomes one of the defining materials of the season, appearing throughout coats, separates and accessories in washed neutral tones contrasted against deep black leather. The collection’s broader graphic identity features a repeating utopian ‘Tree of Life’ emblem woven across panels to symbolise coexistence and community.

Outerwear remains one of the collection’s strongest categories. Fur-striped trench coats punctured with wedge studs feel particularly aligned with where luxury outerwear is heading for 2027: protective, tactile and slightly severe. Jackets balance glossy leather against matte wool surfaces, while silver lace embroidery and sequinned evening dresses introduce flashes of glamour without tipping into overt couture territory.

Fendi.

The accompanying film, conceived as an homage to Jacques de Bascher’s 1977 short film ‘Histoire d’Eau’ for Fendi, deepens Chiuri’s fascination with cinematic Italian femininity. Set inside an austere rationalist building in Rome, the project follows a modern reinterpretation of Suzie, the wandering protagonist from Karl Lagerfeld’s original Fendi-era film. Instead of recreating the archival fantasy directly, Chiuri filters it through a colder, more psychological atmosphere reminiscent of Kubrick interiors and Italian arthouse cinema.

Rome itself continues to sit at the centre of the house’s identity, lingering throughout Chiuri’s inspiration. Marble staircases, wrought-iron gates and shadowy corridors become part of the storytelling, reinforcing the tension between Roman permanence and modern restlessness.

The ‘Less I, more us’ philosophy that defined Chiuri’s recent couture debut in Rome continues to operate as a guiding principle here too. Cruise 2027 reads as a recalibration rather than a reset. Chiuri pares Fendi back to texture, silhouette and attitude, allowing craftsmanship and Roman restraint to take the lead.

Discover the Cruise 27 collection here.

photography. courtesy of Fendi,
words. Gennaro Costanzo