Fendi Women’s Spring Summer 2025 Collection: A Gatsby-esque Affair

Fendi, one of Italy’s most notable luxury fashion brands, recently unveiled their Women’s Spring/Summer 2025 Collection, and it’s safe to say they have set the bar high. The second major fashion house to showcase their collection, Fendi’s line exudes elegance. The show opened with a spectacle, revealing the models standing almost in tribute to Fendi’s legacy.

The music was emotive and featured a moving conversation between Anna Fendi and her daughter, Silvia Ventura Fendi, who is the third generation to lead her family’s brand. The all-white, minimalist stage allowed the pieces to stand out and complimented the light and flouncy feel of the collection. Celebrating a centenary in 2025, Fendi drew on the era in which it was founded. Kim Jones, creative director at Fendi, was inspired by the influence of the Jazz Age on contemporary fashion: “The foundations of how women dress today and in many ways, how we think are in the 1920s. It’s about modernity in style and attitude”.

One of the most iconic symbols of the 1920s were the flapper girls, who represented freedom and independence through rebellion—think the Great Gatsby’s Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker. They wore dresses that were typically straight cut and made from light and loose fabric that gave off a sense of playful elegance. Fendi meticulously incorporated various elements of the flapper dress into some of their pieces while still maintaining a sense of modernity.

One of the most defining figures in fashion during the 1920s was Coco Chanel, who’s designs popularised the little black dress. A blend of sheer fabric and sequins, a popular variation of Chanel’s LBD was inspired by the flappers, which Jones thoughtfully paid homage to.

While some pieces screamed “roaring 20s”, incorporating most features of a flapper dress—sheer fabrics, straight silhouettes, fringes and embellishments—others were seamlessly interwoven with 1920s elements showcasing a more contemporary design.

The dropped waistline was made more prominent by bringing attention to the waistline using different textured fabrics, and the use of solid and sheer fabrics blended traditional and modern elements. The structured fabrics also enhance the sheer materials in a way that the famous cloche hat complemented the whimsical flapper dress.

The revolution of fashion in the twenties brought with it a more relaxed approach to fashion; the traditional constraints of fashion were slowly being lifted and women’s fashion became more “liberated”. This meant out with the corset and impossible beauty ideals and in with embracing the diversity of women’s bodies. The incorporation of masculine and feminine cuts as well as more structured and flowy silhouettes, conveyed the transformation of fashion techniques through the decades. Jones also styled some of the more feminine pieces with combat boots, maintaining the balance between the old and the new.

A part of the progressive femininity in the 1920s was the embrace of garments that were traditionally considered suitable as undergarments. Jones incorporated this concept in Fendi’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection by showcasing slip dresses, sheer fabrics and chemises as outerwear.

Fendi also embraced the asymmetrical and handkerchief draping that was often seen on women’s dresses in the 1920s, crafting beautiful pieces complete with flouncy layers, sheer accents and embellishments.

In keeping with the art deco movement, geometric patterns and floral motifs were integrated into luxurious knit suits with a more contemporary cut, a nod to Coco Chanel’s and Jean Patou’s 1920s cardigan sets.

Staying true to Fendi, Jones incorporated their famous fur coats into the collection, reinventing them with an elegant, modern yet casual feel.

To complete the collection, one of Fendi’s most iconic accessories, handbags, were also given a touch of the twenties. Jones blended drawstrings, embellishments and fringes with contemporary fabrics, showcasing gorgeous pieces that can be transitioned from day to night.