The House of Fendi unveiled Karl Lagerfeld’s final collection on February 21st at Milan Fashion Week. The heartwarming runway display was a breathtaking tribute to one of our generation’s most celebrated designers. Silk foulard, a favorite of Lagerfeld, was a prominent material recurring throughout the show. Lagerfeld was the maison’s Creative Director since 1965, which is widely regarded as one of the longest collaborations between a fashion house and a designer.
“The bond between Karl Lagerfeld and FENDI is fashion’s longest love story, one that will continue to touch our lives for years to come. I am profoundly saddened by his passing and deeply touched by his constant care and perseverance until the very end. When we called just a few days before the show, his only thoughts were on the richness and beauty of the Collection. It’s a true testament to his character. He shall be so missed.” Stated Silvia Venturini Fendi, Creative Director for Fendi’s Men’s Lines and Accessories.
Fendi honored their past Creative Director throughout the show, which commemorated his final Milan Fashion Week collection. Fendi’s Women’s Fall/Winter 2019/2020 collection demonstrated Lagerfeld’s dedication to uncompromisingly beautiful, yet simplistic silhouettes.
Fendi’s catwalk prominently featured the designer’s initials “KL” all across the runway. The collection was most notably characterized by high buttoned pointed shirt collars, wallpaper style satin materials, and Lagerfeld’s “Karligraphy” FF logos on cabochon buttons and intarsia fur, which originally appeared in his 1981 collection.
The heartwarming show ended under a projection of the words “Love Karl.” Silvia Venturini Fendi stepped on stage to introduce an homage to Lagerfeld by playing scenes from a documentary by Loïc Prigent titled “Karl Lagerfeld Sketches His Life.” The film showed clips which featured Lagerfeld at his first day of work at Fendi in 1965.
