For FENDI’s Spring/Summer 2026 show at Milan Fashion Week 2025, acclaimed industrial designer Marc Newson redefined the runway experience by crafting a surreal and visually captivating set—an undulating field of pixelated color blocks inspired by quilt compositions and the organic randomness of flowers.
Held inside the Palazzo Fendi, the show space was transformed into a pixelated terrain, where boxes of varying heights and sizes were meticulously arranged in tonal shifts of white, yellow, turquoise, red, coral, and pink. From above, it resembled a magnified digital image, with each “pixel” acting as part of a larger, changing mosaic. As models walked, the surface moved slightly beneath them, creating an interactive experience that merged motion, color, and spatial awareness.
This set wasn’t just backdrop—it was integral to the narrative of the SS26 collection. The clothing responded to the set, incorporating many of the same hues and geometric principles. From cropped blazers and balloon hems to oversized cotton coats, each piece was designed to interplay with the environment, enhancing the volume and silhouette against the shifting background.
The materials—organza, jacquard, technical fabrics, cotton, and leather—were chosen not just for texture but for the way they interacted with light and motion. The garments explored fullness, void, and contrast, amplified by the moving, polychromatic set.
Musical direction by Frédéric Sanchez added another sensory layer to the experience. The score included excerpts from Italian opera and cinema, combined with electronic music, forming a sonic environment that evolved with the models’ steps. The music mirrored the dynamic shifts in both the set and collection, bringing rhythm and emotion to every look.
Marc Newson’s vision for FENDI’s SS26 show presented a dialogue between fashion, technology, and landscape—a reminder that the runway can be both a canvas and a collaborator. The result was a multi-sensory display of transformation, color, and form, solidifying FENDI’s position at the intersection of craftsmanship and future-forward design.
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