Fendi's Legends and Fairytales Spectacular

Suspended over the waters of the Trevi Fountain in the early hours of evening, 43 models walked angelically across a clear glass runway dressed head to toe in Fendi. From the venue and the clothes, the atmosphere and spellbinding magic of Rome; everything about this special 90th anniversary Fendi extravaganza was spectacular and extremely beautiful.

Of course, Fendi were not going to let their 90th anniversary slip past unnoticed, but nobody could have guessed what Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi had in store for the fashion press for their one off couture show. After witnessing a handful of majestic couture shows in Paris this week, it would be hard to try and top the likes of Chanel, Dior and Elie Saab, whom fashion editors and guests alike were treated to. But Fendi gave it a good go, flying their guests out to Rome on private jets decked out in Fendi gear and then front row seats at the majestic Trevi Fountain show venue. Designed by Nicola Salvi in 1762, the Baroque fountain has stood proudly in the middle of Rome with links to Roman legends regarding the discovery of the pure water source by thirsty soldiers in 19BC. But it is most famous for appearing in the 1960 Fellini film La Dolce Vita, in which Anita Ekberg jumps into the waters of the fountain in a cascading black dress. In 2013, Fendi pledged 2.2 million euros to help refurbish the fountain with work completed in November of last year. No wonder the fashion house chose such a colossal location to celebrate their 90th birthday.

If anything, the venue and beauty of the fountain somewhat eclipsed the clothes. Kendall Jenner, Lagerfeld's current favourite, opened the show in a blue coat dress with a pair of red boots, while Bella Hadid closed in an oversized, embellished coat. Nobody could doubt the craftsmanship that went into these exquisite pieces, but it would have been nice if there was more emphasis on the clothes rather than creating such an ornate spectacle - as lovely as it was. Fendi are famed for their fur, which featured prominently throughout the collection. I loved the fluffy white coat with large colour, and the other decorative styles with hand-stitched images of magical fairy tale kingdoms etched all over them. “I called the show Legends and Fairy Tales,” Lagerfeld explained to Vogue. “Because it’s a collection that doesn’t relate to everybody like ready-to-wear, this is very special for people who have a special kind of life.”

Blue was a key colour, mirroring the azul waters of the Trevi Fountain, with plenty of sheer dresses covered in all shades of the colour. One thing I wasn't too keen on were the shoes, or little Victorian booties to be more precise. For such delicate clothes, a beautiful shoe was needed. Instead Karl and Silvia opted for chunky boots covered in Baroque detailing and laces.

Hair and make-up was something out of a fairy tale too. Curly hair was pinned away from the face at the back of the head, with a central parting in the middle. While make up looked almost Elfish (I'm referencing The Lord of the Rings kind of Elfish here!) with glowing skin and carefully groomed eyebrows. As the lights dimmed marking the end of the show, Bella Hadid led her fellow models back across the catwalk where they all stood gazing out at the press assembled, looking eerily as though they were walking on water. I didn't think anything could possibly top Fendi's Great Wall of China show back in 2009, but this particular show will go down in history as one of the most magical ever.