For a Roman house, the most Roman of references: La Dolce Vita—the movie as well as the state of mind—gave Fendi's pre-fall collection its luxurious glamour. As befits a transitional season, though, this was glamour of a beautifully easygoing kind. Anita Ekberg would find something here to wear, all right—but it might be jeans.
Chunky knits, in jewel tones like emerald and sapphire, appeared in the form of skirts and sweaters, and most hemlines hit at the knee or below. The waist was emphasized in high skirts and nipped-in dresses worn with belts. And the palette, favoring cool blues—sapphire, cerulean, cobalt, and sky—was light without heat. (Though one is honor-bound to mention the spangled harem pants, for all the glitter effect you could want.)
Fendi being Fendi, the fabrications were exquisite, the details just so. They made the basic special, as in the multicolored enamel buttons marching up the front of a prim skirt. The special they made—well, you get the picture. Vide the treated jacquard that was used in a few evening options, covered in tiny dots of metallic sheen that sparkled like stars —the kind you'll find twinkling in the Roman night sky or, if you like, splashing in the Trevi fountain.
