Runway Report: Fendi

Anniversaries come and go but when we’re talking about a 50 year mark of Karl Lagerfeld’s astounding career at Fendi, things get a little more serious; and in this case ultimately luxurious. Hence, the first ever Fendi Haute Couture collection which showed this past Wednesday at the Theatre de Champs Elysee. It was here that he displayed his meticulous and all-encompassing collection of extravagant furs – from classic floor-length sable coats to peachy toned mink mini-skirts – so for those that love to wear the stuff, there was something for every mood.

The craftsmanship of Lagerfeld and the Fendi ateliers cannot be argued. Masterfully constructed, the collection made it difficult to detect at times what was fabric and what was fur – and for that, what type of fur – thanks to tightly woven waves and swirls of mink on pants and coats, capes of swakara and bobcat, intricate and colorful floor-grazing boas, and a jacket and collar with precisely placed white and gold feathers that made us envision of a phoenix rising from the ashes. And as much as this exceptional designer (and icon) of luxury didn’t want to acknowledge this massive anniversary/achievement, he inadvertently presented a collection which in a way represented fur styles and silhouettes of past, present and most importantly the future, which, as we all know, is where Karl is always looking.