Fendi's Sheer Elegance: A Nineties Resurgence in Spring/Summer 2025

Fendi's spring/summer 2025 collection channeled the 'barely there' trend of the Nineties, showcasing a captivating blend of sheer slips, see-through shifts, and transparent blouses. The show's preoccupation with sheer Nineties minimalism brought a graceful and poignant femininity to the collection, while also evoking a hazy androgyny through its straight-lined silhouettes and bejeweled embellishments.

Unveiling the Essence of Fendi's Sartorial Masterpiece

Nineties Nostalgia: Reviving Iconic Sheer Looks

The Fendi spring/summer 2025 collection harked back to the iconic sheer looks of the 1990s, drawing inspiration from the likes of Kate Moss' bias-cut 1993 slip and her Alexander McQueen skull dress, both of which she wore without a bra and just a pair of black pants. This nod to the Nineties' minimalist aesthetic allowed the model's bodies to take center stage, with the transparent garments serving as mere windows to the individual.

Blending British and Roman Influences

After joining Fendi in 2020, creative director Kim Jones has seamlessly integrated his codes of practice into the Fendi story, drawing on the fashion house's traditions while incorporating his own home roots. The show's flapper-style dresses presented on a blank, white canvas of a hall to soft piano recalled images of Kiera Knightley's post-war film, Atonement, mingling British courtship with Roman romance.

Exploring Androgynous Elegance

The collection featured drop-waist hems, asymmetric hems, and bejeweled embellishments, which, alongside the straight-lined silhouettes, evoked a hazy androgyny. Jones brought a graceful and poignant femininity to the collection through muted tones of espresso, stone, and blush pink, creating a delicate balance between masculine and feminine elements.

Fendi's Sartorial Storytelling

The fashion house's last spring/summer collection focused on Rome (where the label was founded), and this collection seemed to instead indulge the creative director's birthplace: England. The array of mocha muted tones punctuated with icy blues conjured images of a hazy spring day in Britain coupled with the heat of an Italian summer, weaving a captivating narrative through the collection.

Embracing Fragility and Lightness

There was a lightness and fragility to Jones' spring/summer 2025 collection, heavily contrasting with both his fall/winter and spring/summer 2024 collections. The sparkling slips, silky trench coats, and sheer gowns offered a naivety not previously seen in his designs, presenting a softer and more delicate side to the Fendi brand.

A Runway Spectacle: Elevating the Sheer Aesthetic

The show finally descended into Regency strings as the final looks were displayed in an elevated white cube the models had been walking around. This dramatic setting served as the perfect backdrop to showcase the collection's sheer elegance, with the feminine frills and delicate jewels softening the hardcore look and hinting at the possibility of 'barely there' dresses making a comeback this summer.