At Fendi, It's All About the '80s, Cowboy Boots, and Daytime Glam

Welcome to Runway Matters, where we're delivering notes straight from the runway so you can quickly digest the most important trends and noteworthy moments from the F/W 18 shows.

The show at Fendi, explained as “a romantic uniform in a woman’s world,” was just that: Wildly romantic with hints of glamour from another era like silky blouses and delicate neckerchiefs, it also included modern updates like sleek cowboy boots and fur sweatshirts that feel fresh and cool and bring it up to today. And with strong ’80s references—like shoulder pads and plaid boxy skirt suits—it’s clear that this collection was designed with powerful women in mind. While this entire show deserves your set of eyes, I’m boiling it down to four main takeaways. And, you better believe it includes the shoes every fashion girl will be coveting for next fall—this editor included.

One Word: ’80s

Across the board, we’re seeing a return to powerful silhouettes from the ’80s. Boxy coats, skirt suits, and padded shoulders—they’re all here. Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturi Fendi sent out consistently strong looks that relied on menswear and tailoring borrowed from the ’80s but also infused their own spin that they described as “a mirror of softness and strength.”

Destined for the Street Style Scene: Cowboy Boots

Sleek cowboy boots were dreamed up in styles from pink croc to gray plaid. And in this editor’s opinion, the Western nod is a genius way to remove the collection from the literalness of the '80s. As for styling them, they were worn with everything from tailored trousers tucked inside the boot itself to midi-length boho dresses and satin gowns.

Glamour for the Day

With casual trends like athleisure and denim commanding streetwear looks these days, Fendi offered something new: decidedly polished, confident outfits that look like they were plucked from film noir.

Playful Details: A Fila Collab

Along with all of the glamour and power outfits and the rest, Fendi also threw in a fun collab—with Fila. Borrowing Fila’s iconic “F,” Fendi then re-appropriated it across its clothes and accessories. The limited-edition capsule collection will be available in August 2018.