Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut show for Fendi was among the hottest tickets at this Milan Fashion Week, and the celebrity guests in attendance proved it.
 
There was no shortage of Hollywood A-listers including Uma Thurman, Jessica Alba, Dakota Fanning and Shailene Woodley, as well as musicians, from the American Jessie Murph and Kitty Cash to the Brits Gene and Lennon Gallagher.
 
In hindsight some of the looks sported by guests in the front row anticipated Chiuri’s vision for the Roman luxury brand, filled, for example, with handsome tailored jackets, tuxedo blazers and woolen coats.
 
Donning a black pantsuit with a pristine white shirt, Thurman said that Wednesday marked an “historic moment” for Fendi. “Maria Grazia is one of my favorite designers. I think her work is art and beautiful. And so I came all the way to Milan to see her first show,” she said as a clutch of photographers encircled her.
 
“I’m so excited to see how she interprets and collaborates with the house. I feel like Maria Grazia embodies classic style and chic style,” echoed Woodley, who decided to pair her tuxedo blazer with a V-neck, see-through blouse underneath. “She really understands femininity in a way that resonates with me and always has, from her time at Dior, at Valentino before that, and then now at Fendi. She started at Fendi, so it’s great to see her back,” the star of “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Big Little Lies” said.
 
Woodley’s first Fendi item ever owned? A green, sparkly Baguette bag, not unlike the one she was carrying at the show. “My pride and joy,” she said as she waited to see many more iterations of the signature accessory on the runway, from the heavily embellished numbers with macramé detailing and beading to the all-black style in crackled leather.
 
They likely won over Fanning, too, whose first memory of Fendi is also linked to the Baguette. “It’s the best and so classic but can be changed with different beading and different colors and different prints, and so it’s timeless, but you can always have a different twist on it,” she said as she pointed to the bag she was carrying, a fully sequined black and white version framed in red beads.
 
Wearing a men’s Fendi pantsuit — accessorized with golden hoop earrings and black shades — Bellucci interpreted Chiuri’s “shared wardrobe” concept with her look.
 
“It’s ideal for a woman, it’s practical, elegant and feminine. It’s one of Maria Grazia’s ideas,” the Italian star said. “She’s so creative and I’m sure that today is going to be amazing.”

Other guests included South Korean singer Bang Chan, a Fendi brand ambassador who caused a frenzy, as well as British actress Iris Law and American actress and singer Arden Cho.