The Empire Of Style

For its Couture 2019 show, Fendi paid homage to the legacy of Karl Lagerfeld against the backdrop of the Roman Colosseum

- Butool Jamal

In Rome, mythic history sits alongside dynamic modernity. While sightseeing, you might stop to catch your breath on the steps of an ancient temple that was constructed in the first or second century AD. A narrow alleyway suddenly opens to reveal the Baroque-era Trevi Fountain, finished in 1732. In our case, an Instagram-worthy view of the Roman Colosseum at sunset was the opening act to the Fendi Fall 2019 Couture show. The presentation was special not only because of its location at the top of Palatine Hill at the Temple of Venus and Roma, but also because it was the Italian brand’s homage to former creative director Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away earlier this year in February. While Lagerfeld was born in Germany, and lived in Paris, he famously said that he had made over 800 trips to Rome, exploring and elaborating on the meaning of Italian style.