Luxurious simplicity was the name of the game at Fendi. The understated fall collection Karl Lagerfeld presented featured silhouettes worked in signature fur, leather and suede that equated to stealth-wealth looks at their best. Think more billowy and less second-skin. Subtle and rustic with a hint of vintage-inspired best sums up the swingy trapeze lines from a rounded shoulder and the longer skirt lengths paired with simple and unstructured styling: easy kimono coats, elongated gilets and jackets (often layered twofer style or reversed to fur, some tethered with a knotted belt) cut in cashmere, jersey and tweed. Skirts were soft and full cut to mid-calf or came as 50s-style pencil shapes. Pants were second-skin skinny, layered with smock blouses or peplum-trimmed tops. For evening, sheer blouses and dresses banded with sheared fur. Again, the color palette was simple, with black, white and ivory dominating but with injections of pale gold, inky blues and washed olive. This being a Fendi fall collection, furs were front and center, natch. Think cocoonlike shapes in mink, broadtail, lynx or fox–sometimes pieced in mismatched combinations with an emphasis on texture over pattern. Footwear emphasized utility, most notably in a calf-length heeled boots with rubber and crepe heels, toecaps and ballerina-esque high ankle strap shoes. Handbags, meanwhile, all boasted monogrammed luggage tags and came in the form of handheld, satchels, saddlebags and totes. Interesting caveat: the show featured a three-dimensional sliding brick set that the Roman fashion house was filming in 3-D for potential future use in stores and at special events.
