Fendi menswear S/S22 makes a case for sexy suiting

This piece was originally written in February 2022.

Silvia Venturini Fendi forecasts a “hot boy summer” with more daring silhouettes than we’re used to from Fendi menswear – and Gen Z loves it. 

Fendi by Wes Anderson is what the colours bring to mind. Attractive, affluent young men playing tennis on dusty rose courts in pistachio and lavender sets. Silvia Venturini Fendi translates the fluctuating hues of the Roman sky – from the vantage point of the Fendi headquarters, Palazzo Della Civiltà Italiana, which also served as the setting for the collection video – into the beautiful colour palette of her spring 2022 menswear show. Dusty pastels, muted neons and earth tones create a visually rich and romantic line-up. Styled by Julian Ganio, the intentional use of colour is highlighted by monochromatic looks and flashes of contrasting tones, as in the case of a full-yellow look with a pop of lilac or sky-blue shoes with an otherwise-grey look.

Male midriff is everywhere this season, and here this manifests in cropped linen suiting – clean-cut across the torso and sleeves, slicing off shirt and tie along with it in one look. Where blazers remain full-length, they are accompanied by a cropped top or shirt. Though this is edgier and more homoerotic than Fendi’s usual menswear offerings (which play with texture rather than silhouette), it’s worth noting that a hint of exposed midriff was present in the spring 2021 menswear collection. “I really wanted to give a sense of freedom to this man. I think it’s the time to break boundaries,” said Fendi at the time, explaining her direction. 

“You know I’m an accessory addict,” said Fendi. A fitting statement for the mother of the Fendi baguette, an it-bag twice over (first in the ‘90s on the arm of Sex and the City’s Carrie, then again with the late 2010s vintage logomania revival.) Her talent for accessories is apparent in this collection. Small and silver, the Fendi baguette glints on belly chains and necklaces. Like the Jacquemus Chiquito earrings from A/W20, it’s a clever – and cute! – way to capitalise on the brand’s best-selling bags. In line with the luxuriously casual theme, there are ping-pong racket holders in candy pink and lilac, plexiglass baguettes hang from shoulder straps and a collaboration with swimwear brand Arena led to Fendi goggles. A particularly attractive piece is a convex luggage bag with a watercolour effect: blues, pinks and yellows bleeding into each other. The bag compliments similarly patterned shorts with oversized cargo pockets, which appear throughout the collection and play with proportion.

Despite being a summer collection, the knits and outerwear were strong too, assisted by intarsia techniques and sharp tailoring. (Unsurprisingly – Fendi’s outerwear is usually great, evidenced by the immaculate leather jacket worn by Bella Hadid in A/W20.) Ribbed collared knits in lime, lavender, light periwinkle and black add to the preppiness, with the Fendi branding knitted on a pocket in the centre of the chest. A silk gazar cocoon coat in ice blue is a highlight and plays beautifully with the yellow jumper underneath it, reminding us of Fendi’s heavenly inspiration: sunrises and sunsets where colours melt into each other.

One thing that felt quite on-the-nose was the print featuring an illustrated map of Rome, gleaned from Fendi’s archives, pasted on shorts, jackets and shirts. Luckily these looks were in the minority, as the print – dubbed Fendi Land – was a too-literal and busy addition to an otherwise elegant collection. The Fendi Earth motif, on the other hand, was great in places. It worked best in neutral shades, such as on the black jacquard blazer and duster, as well as the double denim look. It’s sweet in pastels too: on single-breasted coat and matching trousers, or an adorable cashmere intarsia jumper. On the latter, the Fendi monogram is thoughtfully worked in rather than slapped on, creating a covetable piece. And between the playful accessories, cool outerwear and on-trend colours, there are plenty of those in this collection.