Codes of duality
Men’s loafers with kitten heels, ballerinas with constructed ankle straps, colors of metal mixing in silver and gold, and more
Now available in Manila is the fall/winter 2023 collection for Friends of Fendi, a diverse series of projects and collections instigated by Kim Jones and Silvia Venturini Fendi, crossing the “party lines” of the fashion industry and distinguished by a belief in sincerity over strategy, with a true notion of friendship at their heart.
Exploring both the traditional womenswear and menswear sides of Fendi, the collection curated with Stefano Pilati reaches a new conclusion for the house, going beyond gender to something essentially more character-driven and iconoclastic. Reflecting on the 1920s as well as the 2020s, Pilati explores
In many ways, it is a ‘greatest hits’ of Fendi bags—from iconic shapes to new classics—reapproached with a new eye by Silvia Venturini Fendi and curated with Stefano Pilati.
the idea of “the flapper” for today, proposing answers as to whom might fulfill that role now both through clothing and casting.
A multiplicity of the bags featured in the collection becomes a shorthand for the character of the wearer, each with its own distinct personality. In many ways, it is a “greatest hits” of Fendi bags—from iconic shapes to new classics—reapproached with a new eye by Silvia Venturini Fendi and curated with Pilati.
Shoes are constructed and sized with both sexes in mind. These shoes also often feature a hybridized style. For example, loafers present a classically rigorous masculine construction and weight in calf, yet they come with the addition of a distinctly feminine kitten heel. Ballerinas, on the other hand, are toughened both literally and figuratively with the use of constructed, binding ankle straps. Jewelry, designed by Delfina Delettrez Fendi, also plays with codes of duality. “Milanese” mesh issued overprinted with the dynamic Fendi logo while colors of metal mix in silver and gold. The classic and the obsessive become one—a watch strap aesthetic runs throughout with this typically masculine decoration utilized for each gender through patterning traditionally seen on watches and lighters. While there is a heaviness in the contrast of aristocratic rings, particularly sought is the symbol of the signet ring and how it is worn by an individual. Check out the Fendi store in Manila.