The tranquility of domestic life has found its resurgence this year, as a global pandemic has forced the majority of the population indoors and away from the convolution of daily life. Silvia Venturini Fendi seized the opportunity and turned a tumultuous year into a study on introspection and the importance of family, returning to the foundational building blocks of fashion. Fendi’s 2021 Spring/Summer saw a transition from the embellishment of their collection a year prior, to more traditional, romantic designs. As this was her last show before Kim Jones takes the reins, it’s fitting that Silvia chose to make this collection a personal statement on what she cherishes most in her life. “I wanted to start with the most simple things,” she explained to Vogue. “The values that are passed down from generation to generation.”

Models were adorned in mostly warm-colored clothing, which effortlessly flowed through the airy, bright set, punctuated with cotton sofas, floor to ceiling curtains, and a winding runway. Linen was prominently featured, finding itself woven into double-breasted blazers, wide-cut pleated pants, embroidered blouses, as well as in the models’ accessories—a trademark of Fendi shows. Several looks offered a break from the neutral color palette that dominated the collection, with some models wearing hot pink heels paired with loose, blue blazers and the classic combination of elongated black outfits with the renowned gold Fendi accessories. This is Fendi’s first coed collection, a progressive step in the brand’s trajectory. The collection was less about elaborate conjecture surrounding Fendi’s future, and more an examination of the brand’s traditions stripped to its barest forms.

A live string quartet led by Lorenzo Senni reverberated through the silhouetted walkway, with the ethereal sound matching the mood of what many view as the end of an era for the Rome-based fashion house. The intimacy of the show invites us to celebrate our time spent in solitude to cultivate our individuality and seek inspiration within the domestic environments we’ve become so familiar with.