By Jessica Ye (Jessica Yap)
For her first Cruise collection at FENDI, Maria Grazia Chiuri brings a tougher and sharper kind of elegance to the Roman house, balancing structured tailoring, rich textures and dramatic black silhouettes throughout Cruise 2027.
Presented across menswear and womenswear, the collection places a strong emphasis on wardrobe dressing, where clean lines and precise construction take centre stage.
There are oversized shirts paired with elongated trousers, sharp coats cut close to the body and jackets softened slightly through movement and layering. Men and women wear similar silhouettes throughout, giving the collection a more fluid and interchangeable feel without losing the polish associated with FENDI.
Naturally, Chiuri’s craftsmanship and attention to materials remain one of the strongest parts of the collection.
Parchment tones appear against studded black leather, while shiny surfaces are contrasted with matte fabrics to give classic pieces a sharper edge. Trench coats arrive reconstructed with fur striping and wedge stud details, while georgette dresses are interrupted with leather plastrons that toughen otherwise delicate silhouettes.
Elsewhere, silver lace and sequinned embroidery bring flashes of glamour into the darker palette, catching movement beautifully as models walk.
One of the standout accessories would have to be the reworked Fendi Baguette, which returns in parchment materials and studded black leather, giving the iconic house bag a more graphic and structured appearance for Cruise 2027.
Alongside the collection, FENDI also released a cinematic short film inspired by Jacques de Bascher’s 1977 fashion film Histoire d’Eau, originally commissioned by Karl Lagerfeld for the house’s first ready-to-wear collection.
Set against grand Roman interiors and sweeping staircases, the film follows a mysterious female figure dressed largely in black, moving through marble corridors in feathered looks, sculptural tailoring and sharply constructed outerwear that mirror the mood of the collection itself.
While the film leans heavily into old-world fantasy and cinematic glamour, the collection itself remains surprisingly wearable throughout.
Whether it is the tougher treatment of leather accessories, the sharper tailoring or the balance between masculine and feminine dressing, Cruise 2027 feels like a confident and polished debut for Maria Grazia Chiuri at FENDI.
