Review of Fendi Summer 2025 Ad Campaign with model Achol Kuir
Fendi’s Summer 2025 campaign draws upon the house’s own cinematic mythology, revisiting Histoire d’Eau, the 1978 short film that marked Karl Lagerfeld’s ready-to-wear debut for the brand. The campaign honors this archival moment not with nostalgia but with reinterpretation—balancing the Maison’s centennial celebration with a spirited vision of contemporary Roman elegance. Set against the historic and sun-warmed backdrops of Rome, the campaign features a wardrobe infused with memory, movement, and unmistakable ease.
Visually, the campaign unfolds like a series of postcards—breezy, painterly, and steeped in a sensual light. Models recline on mosaic-tiled floors, lounge against marbled staircases, and traverse sculpted gardens with a nonchalance that feels studied but not staged. The palette is unmistakably Mediterranean: coral, seafoam, buttermilk, terracotta. Embroidered shells, raffia textures, and bandana florals evoke a dreamy summer vacation, equal parts seaside folklore and Roman opulence. Accessories—structured yet playful—serve as narrative touchstones, from the Peekaboo trimmed in fringe to charm-laden crossbodies that resemble keepsakes from a mythic voyage.
There is a certain conceptual richness to this campaign—its tether to Histoire d’Eau feels both affectionate and self-aware. The storytelling succeeds when it leans into quiet luxury, especially in its juxtaposition of haute craftsmanship and breezy silhouettes. The embroidery work is particularly strong, anchoring the visual language with tactility and tradition. However, at times the sheer abundance of motifs—coral, shells, FF logos, postcards, raffia—risks overwhelming the viewer, nudging the line between layered and overworked. A slightly tighter visual edit might have clarified the narrative arc, allowing the more poetic moments—like a shell necklace against a linen tunic or a relaxed silk set in citrus tones—to resonate more fully.
Still, Fendi’s Summer 2025 outing offers a compelling meditation on the idea of luxury as memory: of sun, sea, silk, and story. In this chapter, the brand doesn’t merely revisit history—it strolls through it in sandals, sunglasses on, sending postcards from the edge of time.
Model | Achol Kuir