Maria Grazia Chiuri’s First Couture Collection for Fendi Plunges Into Sheer Minimalism

The Fall 2026 season of Paris Haute Couture Week has recently come to an end and the fashion world watched closely, especially for one designer in particular—Maria Grazia Chiuri, who debuted her first couture show for Fendi.

Appointed chief creative officer last October 2025, Maria taking reins at Fendi is a continuation story. She began working for the Italian house as an accessories designer back in 1989, when she was just 24.

For her inaugural foray into haute couture, Maria focused on desire—both mind and body. Preceded by a short film entitled Love Monster, which blurred the line between dream and reality, the collection already began before the looks came down the runway.

Featured in the short film, the opening look provided the palpable transition from mind to body. What immediately followed were exquisite pieces that exemplified tailoring and craftsmanship—draping that celebrated the shape of a woman, sheer fabrics, plunging necklines, and cutouts that sparked desire, and graphic lines, art deco details, and upcycled fur that paid homage to the legacy and codes of the house.

Maria’s haute couture debut for Fendi was a practice in admirable restraint, departing from the flamboyance of Karl Lagerfeld and grandeur of Silvia Venturini Fendi. Despite being completely void of color, the collection remained vibrant because of the marriage between movement and minimalism.

Whether seen as a palate cleanser or an overtly simplistic first showing at haute couture week, Maria's debut collection has kept people talking. This move of hers is a bold one, and we most definitely second the motion.