Fendi: the prime rib is the new cold shoulder

In the afterglow of the July couture show, staged on a glassed-over Trevi fountain, Fendi is a serious fashion force right now. This week’s catwalk show took looks that were hovering on the edges of our vision and pulled them into focus. Knitted sock boots put a pretty spin on a sellout piece from the cult Vetements line;
pinafore-shape dresses looked grownup and elegant; handbags boasted the ornate guitar-strap handles that will dominate in 2017. But the central message was in the sweaters – simple and long-sleeved but cropped or slashed to show the lower ribs.

Say goodbye to the cold shoulder, and get ready for the prime rib. This trend is unlikely to have the same mass appeal – the allure of the cold-shoulder being precisely that this is a body part normal women feel confident in revealing, which doesn’t translate to the torso – but the look certainly seemed to make an impression on Fendi front-rower Serena Williams, who sported an ab-flashing sweater for her next fashion week appearance at Versace.