A tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s first ready-to-wear season and fashion film “Histoire d’Eau”
Fendi marks its centenary by launching the Summer 2025 collection, a seasonal tribute to the Maison’s archival history and Karl Lagerfeld’s first ready-to-wear designs for Spring/Summer 1978. Presented not through a runway show but the short film Histoire d’Eau, the original 1977 narrative starred Susy Dyson as a stylish visitor navigating Rome. Directed by Jacques De Bascher, the film is widely cited as the fashion industry’s first cinematic campaign. The new collection references that moment, returning to the iconography of the 1970s and revisiting motifs that defined Fendi’s early expression of seasonal luxury.
Built on the visual language of a Roman summer and the seaside charm of Italy, the collection incorporates a palette of coral red, seafoam, sandy terracotta, ocean blue, and lemon tones. Coral serves as a recurring theme—appearing in jewellery, embroidery, and prints, alongside oversized underwater florals and bandana patterns. Fendi reinterprets these ideas through contemporary silhouettes, including structured maxi dresses, figure-hugging tank styles, twisted pencil skirts, and cocooning outerwear. Finishes such as devoré lace, lambskin appliqué, and bead detailing continue the house’s tradition of intricate craftsmanship.
Menswear includes mid-sleeve shirts, silk shorts, striped knitwear, and swimwear bearing the season’s coral bandana print. Athletic nostalgia is echoed through cotton separates and stretch silhouettes featuring stitched contouring. Denim chambray, FF jacquards, and laser-cut floral treatments shape the season’s outerwear offerings.
Accessories reinforce the seasonal themes through the use of raffia, trompe l’oeil Cuoio Romano leather, denim, and silk bandana prints. New Summer Tote bags join updated versions of Peekaboo, Baguette, and By The Way styles, interpreted in natural textures with contrasting tones. Footwear highlights include the debut of the Fendi Fling thong sandal, as well as Sea Garden-embroidered Colibri pumps, raffia mesh flatform wedges, and Selleria-stitched slides for men.
The accessory range includes silk wraps, jellyfish-shaped charms, and bandana-printed foulards, all extending the nautical and artisanal aesthetic. Raffia and denim wide-brimmed hats complete the look.
The campaign was photographed and directed by Will Scarborough with styling by Chaos Fashion. Hair was styled by Fabio Petri, makeup by Joey Choy, and casting by Piergiorgio Del Moro. Models featured in the campaign include Sandra Murray, Achol Kuir, and Huang Yuzhu.
The Fendi Summer 2025 collection arrives in boutiques globally on May 1, with select raffia pieces available beginning April 3.
