The message was clear: Fendi, under Chiuri’s direction, reflects what “they” desire, not just what “she” dictates.
“Less I, more us.”
It’s a phrase that many would dismiss as cliché, but undeniably powerful and sincere when interpreted by Maria Grazia Chiuri. In an age dominated by social media, where people romanticize an idealized version of themselves, the trailblazing designer underscored the quiet power of connection, sincerity, and simplicity.
On February 25, Chiuri unveiled her debut collection as chief creative officer of Fendi. It was a full-circle moment for the 61-year-old icon, who began her career at the Roman fashion house in 1989 as an accessories designer working with the legendary Fendi sisters.
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The collection, aptly titled “Less I, More Us,” is partly a tribute to the house that started her career. “For me, Fendi is very important, so it’s very important to give back what they gave to me,” Chiuri told Vogue. Above all, it is the beginning of a new era for the fashion house—one where there is no limits or labels.
“Less I, More Us” embodies “a shared wardrobe,” she told media outlets after the show. “The idea was to work on the collection with the same team for men and women because the idea is that we do a coat, we do a jacket, we do pants. We change the size, but it’s the same—a transversal wardrobe.”
For Fall/Winter 2026, Chiuri steered Fendi from quirky extravagance to refined, wearable elegance. She focused instead on timeless, accessible, and well-crafted pieces stripped of the fashion thrills often associated with the Roman house.
The message was clear right at the beginning, starting with the color palette, which was mostly black with occasional pops of white, beige, baby blue, and red. It’s a major shift from Fendi’s traditional poppy palette of yellows, pinks, and bright blues that are often used in its signature double-F monogram canvas.
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Chiuri told Wallpaper Magazine that the color choices stemmed from the idea that fashion shows are increasingly treated as mere entertainment, especially on social media. “I think we must be pragmatic,” she told the outlet. “Fashion is not entertainment. Fashion is a job. I am that kind of designer.”
Unlike the previous season, Chiuri’s debut collection focused on clean lines, refined tailoring, and softly structured silhouettes. The ornamentation was subtle as well. She explored denim, military, and bohemian aesthetics, suggesting that Fendi under her direction reflects what “they” desire, not just what “she” dictates.
Opening the collection was a monochromatic look featuring a knee-length shirtdress worn underneath a blazer and paired with sheer socks, and pointed-toe heels. It set the tone for a collection wherein “feminine and masculine cease to be categories of opposition and become adjectives used to describe shared qualities,” Chiuri wrote in the show notes.
What followed was a catalog of creative departures from the house’s quirky persona—tailored jackets, woolen coats, pleated skirts, sleeveless tunic tops, plunging V-necks, delicate lace cocktail dresses, and timeless evening columns—still mostly in black.
The collection featured a few Chiuri-isms as well, as seen in the sheath dresses worn over pants, a white button-down with a tea-length skirt, the heels-with-socks styling, as well as the little white leather collars worn like a choker with everything, from suits to evening dresses.
A number of unconventional pieces made an appearance, including folkloric fur-trimmed vests to an army-green flight suit and a distressed motocross jacket, even rendered in a striking yellow-and-black palette. Then there’s the statement tee that screams “NO” and the football scarf printed with “5 Sisters”—a nod to the quintet, whose influence on the house, Chiuri says, often feels overlooked. “I would like people to remember all that they created at Fendi,” she remarked.
Chiuri infused bits of color, particularly a delicious cherry red, in a slip dress to a furry stole draped over a bag. She also used the house’s signature fur to bring playfulness to patchwork coats and, at the same time, reworked the Baguette bag and the Peekaboo in bright animal prints with contrasting leather.
Explore more of Chiuri’s debut collection for Fendi below:
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