The FENDI Men’s Fall/Winter 2021-22 collection designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi is an optimistic adventure framed within a game of illusions. A cinematic sequence directed by the Italian artist Nico Vascellari sets the scene for ‘What Is Normal Today ft. Silvia’ – an exclusive dance-pop track composed by Not Waving. Appearing inside an immersive 360° mirrored tunnel, models are infinitely multiplied whilst entirely alone, as a maze of suspended doorways is framed in coloured neon beneath the pulsating ceiling of a futuristic music video.
One by one, a broad spectrum of menswear classics is twisted with FENDI playfulness, emerging from darkness into full Technicolor. The result is an unabashed celebration of colour and light, and a universal message of solidarity and connection in Surreal times. A jewel palette sees emerald, vermillion, saffron, orange, fuchsia, cobalt and periwinkle colour-blocked against black, camel and charcoal, as linings, inlays and slashed seams flash with contrasting textures and shades.
Throughout the collection, multifunctionality and form unite in reversible workwear and relaxed outerwear silhouettes. Belted overcoat and trench shapes in cashmere flannel, satin, striped fur and shearling are infused with a cozy peignoir attitude and piped pyjama hemlines bring the indoors out and the outdoors in. Diagonal quilting inflates all manner of silk jacquard separates from a shawl collar lounge coat to pullovers, shirt jackets and Bermuda shorts in a luxuriant expression of cocooning comfort, and ‘inside-out’ tailoring features deconstructed panels that expose padded FF logo linings. The conventions of ribbed and cable knitting are reimagined as long johns, cardigan scarves, mitten cuffs, and a wrapped ‘sleeve’ neck sweater for a weird and wonderful take on the ‘new normal’.
An icon of the London underground scene, the multidisciplinary artist and performer Noel Fielding provides a series of psychedelic artworks for the collection, abstracting the FENDI logo and emphasizing the season’s cosmic spirit through his multicoloured, stream-of-consciousness scribble art. Faces and creatures emerge straight out of Fielding’s dreamscape narrative accenting the collection’s straightforward silhouette with moments of Art Brut insanity. Fielding’s outré pop sensibility is the latest evolution in Silvia Venturini Fendi’s playful selection of artistic collaborators, which has previously included British artists John Booth, @HeyReilly and Sue Tilley, to name a few.
The FENDI Men’s Fall/Winter 2021-22 accessories collection revels in the bright promise of the season’s chromatic palette. The all-over treatment of colour-matched leathers, matte satin and hardware create dipped-effect Baguette and flatpack shopper shapes, and miniature luggage styles reprise an embossed stripe FF monogram leather as backpacks and crossbody pouches. In fancy leathers, the Baguette is scaled up and down as a roomy satchel or a lanyard cardholder, whilst Noel Fielding’s graphic art adorns the Peekaboo and an FF buckle tote in grainy calfskin. In ultra-classic menswear tones, shearling FF slippers and slip-on laced or buckle sabots continue the collection’s indoor-outdoor conceit, joining zip-up quilted ‘spats’ ankle boots and the FENDI Force Light FF lug-sole combat styles.
