Fendi is the latest fashion house to have its runway show invaded by an activist.
A Peta protester stormed the autumn/winter 2024 catwalk at Milan Fashion Week holding a sign saying: ‘Animals are not clothing’ with ‘Turn your back on animal skin’ written on their back.
Peta posted a video of the incident on Instagram with the caption: ‘Behind every fur gilet, crocodile-skin bag, or calf-leather shoe is a vulnerable animal who felt pain and fear and didn’t want to die.’
![An activist on the Fendi catwalk](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC84YmQ4NDcyZGEyYjM0NTU1OTg4NGI4MDM3NGNmMjM1Zi5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiOTYwXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNmI4ODA0NTFkMmQyYzcxMTc2NTU0ZWEwNTlmZGVkNDhmMWNmY2I4YSJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
Fendi was founded as a fur and leather shop in Rome in 1925 – fur continues to be a centrepiece of the brand’s collections.
Peta has been targeting some of the biggest shows of fashion month – at the recent Coach presentation at New York Fashion Week, a protester walked onto the runway holding a sign saying: ‘COACH: Let Cows Live’.
In December 2023, the British Fashion Council formally bannned fur at London Fashion Week – the first of the four main fashion cities to do so.
![Fendi fashion show](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC8xNzU4OTdhNmJlZGI0MjhlYWQ0MzZlNTJmYmQ5MTg3OC5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiNDI3XCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiOWQ1OGRkMzJmYTFlMzAzMmYxZDQ5MmI3NmZiOWZhNzM1NmM3MzhjNiJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
At the Fendi show, security swiftly removed the protester off the catwalk, and the show went on largely uninterrupted.
Fendi kicked off a jam-packed Milan Fashion Week schedule, showing an understated yet highly luxurious collection.
![Fendi catwalk show](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC82ZmVlMTdlOTBhZmQ0OTQyOWVkODM4ZTEwY2NhNzRjMi5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiOTYwXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiY2M1Y2Y3YjY5ZmU2ODZhNTM2MzZmZTdlYmJkNzEzZDE4MjhkYTZlOCJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
The opening look very much set the tone for things to come, with the model wearing an incredibly chic and well-tailored black coat with black leather boots, clutching a classic beige baguette bag.
Impeccable tailoring ran throughout the collection, with experimentation seen in the innovative ways creative director Kim Jones played with knitwear.
![Fendi catwalk show](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC9hNzliMmU1M2Y5YTY0YWQ3YWMwNzhmZTBjNDAxNmNkOC5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiOTYwXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNmM0NDc4NDIwMDhlMzgzYzEzZDA2ZWIwOTU3ZGZmNmNlNDQ3YjkzOCJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
Woollen knits were deconstructed and worn in unusual ways – a highlight was the silhouettes of jumpers stuck to the front and back of a model’s top.
This was just one of the slight hints of the surreal seen in the collection – another being models wearing bodysuits with the poppers at the bottom hanging loose.
![Fendi catwalk show](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC8wNTdiMzI0YTEyYjM0Y2ZhODg4ZjkzZGVhZjIzMzVlNy5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiOTYwXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNWZmMGRkMjViZmQwOTY2ZGQ3ZjhkYzI3ZDNiNDI3NjJjYjI1ZjU0YiJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
But make no mistake – this was not a challenging collection. Instead, it very much felt like the everyday wardrobe for the super rich – while there was the odd motif of a classic art piece, outfits tended to be in block colours.
Accessories were typically standout – Delfina Delettrez Fendi, who is fourth generation in the Fendi fashion empire – was responsible for the jewellery, with models wearing chunky necklaces and geometric earrings.
![Fendi fashion show](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC80ZDhjNzJiZjc0Y2M0Y2MxYWQzN2NkMzRjZTUwMDcwYS5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiOTYwXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNGIwNjdiMjg1ZWU3Mjg0ZTc0NWRjZjliYjJiNDI1NTM2NDAxZDVkZiJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
Leather riding-style boots permeated the collection – with a yellow thigh-high pair providing a welcome flash of colour amidst what was a fairly muted collection.
Fendi also made a case for the hairstyle of the season. Models – if they weren’t wearing luxurious tops with built-in hoods – had their hair slicked back into two low buns, a style that would be fairly easy to replicate at home.
![Fendi catwalk show](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2NvbnRlbnQuYXNzZXRzLnByZXNzYXNzb2NpYXRpb24uaW9cXFwvQVBcXFwvMjAyNFxcXC8wMlxcXC8yMVxcXC8xY2YzYjIwZWE1ZjA0MzU2ODdkZWVhOWIzMjk2ZTNjZC5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiOTYwXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNGM3OWYxMTUyNWE2ODMyNzRmMmQ0NWIwYTEzYjg3YzVlYmQ0NjljZiJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
English designer Jones came out and accepted applause at the end, looking casual in jeans, cap and a bomber jacket – and we can only imagine he’s gone straight back to work, as he’s also artistic director for Dior menswear.
![Marisa Abela](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2ltYWdlLmFzc2V0cy5wcmVzc2Fzc29jaWF0aW9uLmlvXFxcL3YyXFxcL2ltYWdlXFxcL3Byb2R1Y3Rpb25cXFwvNDI3N2Q5MGM5NDU2MGY2OWMxNTMzYjgzZTlhZDc5MWZZMjl1ZEdWdWRITmxZWEpqYUdGd2FTd3hOekE0TmpFME16UXhcXFwvMi43NTM4MDIzMi5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiODgzXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNzVkZjI0NTFhODY1MTkxZjQ0NWMyMWFkNjZkNTM1NDE4NWE2ZDRjZSJ9/peta-protester-storms-fendi-catwalk-at-milan-fashion-week.jpg?w=640)
Fendi has had a big week – Back To Black star Marisa Abela wore a black silk gown by the brand to the recent Baftas, while actor Anya Taylor-Joy donned a silver crop top and champagne pencil skirt from Fendi Couture to the British Vogue afterparty.