There is a particular way to approach a classic without losing what made it recognizable in the first place. For Maria Grazia Chiuri, that means returning directly to the DNA of FENDI while drawing from the culture and architecture of its hometown, Rome. Her first collection for the House brings that approach into focus through the Very Colibrì, a new interpretation of one of FENDI’s signature shoes. The accompanying campaign places the design within a distinctly Roman setting, with Michal Pudelka, one of the most sought-after fashion photographers of the moment, behind the images.
SHOES
FENDI first introduced the Colibrì slingback on the Spring Summer 2018 runway. The shoe quickly became recognizable through its refined profile and distinctive elastic straps, which created a balance between formal elegance, lightness and mobility. Its design relied on contrast from the beginning, pairing a delicate appearance with a construction intended to move naturally with the wearer.
For Fall Winter 2026.27, Chiuri strips the shoe back further and introduces the Very Colibrì. The new version reduces the design to its most essential lines and places greater emphasis on proportion, movement and femininity. A new slender heel gives the shoe a lighter visual profile, while a deeper V-shaped vamp extends the line of the foot.
These changes make the silhouette feel more direct and sensual while preserving the agility associated with the original Colibrì. Chiuri focuses on the relationship between strength and femininity, using the construction of the shoe to create a shape that responds naturally to movement.
The campaign, titled The Art of Balance, develops the same idea through photography. Pudelka shoots the images at Rome’s Stadio delle Terme di Caracalla, connecting the Very Colibrì to the city that continues to inform FENDI’s identity. The location gives the project a clear architectural context while allowing the shoe’s movement-focused design to remain central.
He photographs the models in motion, turning ordinary gestures into controlled studies of balance, confidence and grace. Their movements echo the physical qualities of the Very Colibrì, from its narrow heel to its elongated vamp and flexible construction. Chiuri revisits an established FENDI code through refined proportions, while Pudelka places the Very Colibrì firmly within Rome. The Very Colibrì from FENDI’s Fall Winter 2026.27 collection is available now in FENDI boutiques.
