Milan Men's Fashion Week: Fendi put on commercially savvy show with craftsmanship pushed to its limits

Silvia Fendi sent an army of models down a wet granite runway last night in a collection that was one of her most commercial to date. It was her ode to the 'soulful city dweller', a uniform designed to cope with every day life in the metropolis.

It was Fendi's answer to a functional wardrobe and there was an undeniable focus on freedom of movement, leisurewear and comfort; items were unstructured and silhouettes remained soft throughout - boxy Bermuda shorts and jersey trousers dominated the collection and were paired with buttoned down polos or lurex tees in silver and bronze which were seductively casual.

It was a surprisingly modest show for the brand who are renowned for their ostentatious displays of fur and bold colours, however, this was clearly a collection concerned with the preferences of the consumer rather than the visual impact it had on others.

As Silvia Fendi expressed after the show: 'these are just young, everyday basics, done in a more sophisticated way'.

Yet in the typical Fendi way, craftsmanship was pushed to its limits. A python coat was given a rubberized degrade in petrol blue, leather was polished to give the appearance of plastic and a trending oriental pattern was discreetly hidden under layers of dye on t-shirts and trousers.

Silvia's ruse was playing off organic and synthetic, natural and technical in hope that the audience couldn't distinguish the two. It showed a mastery and manipulation of materials that has recently become synonymous with the brand.

There were also new plays on the classic peekaboo rucksack which now came in patchwork leather, khaki and white fur. After turning around huge sales last year it’s clear that these will be the real stars of the show.