Fendi revives Karl Lagerfeld's landmark 1985 exhibition at Rome's National Gallery, tracing his creative process through sketches and furs. Until 25 October 2026.

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Karl Lagerfeld is best known for his decades at Chanel and his early days assisting Pierre Balmain, yet the German-born designer bound his creative soul to Fendi for more than half a century. This July, all eyes turned to Rome during Haute Couture Week, as the (GNAMC) became the runway for .

Now those same halls host a monumental exhibition: After – Steps Through Work. Fendi / Karl Lagerfeld 1985, on view from 10 July to 25 October 2026.

What’s on display retraces the longest creative partnership in fashion history, between Karl Lagerfeld and the family. Hired in 1965 by the five Fendi sisters to reinvent the family’s traditional fur and leather house, Lagerfeld revolutionised the very idea of luxury outerwear, a collaboration that lasted until his death in 2019.

This is not a typical parade of red-carpet gowns. Instead, it faithfully rebuilds the pioneering 1985 show, originally curated by Ida Panicelli with an installation conceived by Lagerfeld himself, one of the first times fashion entered an Italian museum. It subverts expectations of the “finished product,” offering an intimate look at how Lagerfeld actually worked: how his raw sketches and the iconic double-F motif stepped off the page and came to life in the hands of master artisans.

Drawing on the Fendi and GNAMC archives, the exhibition brings together around 180 original drawings, 22 paper patterns, 50 sample boards, preparatory canvases and 25 furs, tracing every stage from idea to finished garment. The sketches reveal how Lagerfeld’s hand evolved over time, from soft, naturalistic female forms to bold, expressive marker lines. Look closely at the margins and you’ll find handwritten notes, references and even French words transcribed into Italian, a quiet reminder of the bilingual, real-time dialogue with a Roman atelier.

The show guides visitors through the architecture of couture, from paper patterns and canvas prototypes (toiles) to archival footage of Fendi’s deep Roman roots, including Jacques de Bascher’s 1977 film Histoire d’Eau. At its centre, a cluster of coats suspended in mid-air recreates Lagerfeld’s 1985 “Theatre” installation, once famously called the “dance of the furs.” The exhibition closes with a selection of the vast 1985 press coverage, a rare chance to trace how fashion found its place inside the museum.

For anyone drawn to the enduring legacy of Lagerfeld’s genius inside one of Italy’s most storied fashion houses, this is a must-see. Set on Viale delle Belle Arti, a short walk from the , it’s one of several major shows in the city this summer. Planning your visit between now and October? See our guide to for more to pair with it.

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