Top Italian fashion house Fendi bases autumn and winter men’s collection on Princess Anne, who it calls the ‘most chic woman in the world’

She is known for her frugality when it comes to her fashion choices, sticking to a tried-and-tested look and regularly recycling favorite outfits.

But Princess Anne has just become an unlikely menswear icon, inspiring a new collection from high-end Italian fashion house Fendi.

The brand unveiled its fall/winter 2024 designs yesterday during Milan Fashion Week, with designer Silvia Venturini Fendi citing the 73-year-old Princess Royal as her inspiration. She called Anne “the chicest woman in the world… able to maintain her femininity while wearing a uniform.”

The designer said: ‘I fell in love with the style of Princess Anne, who in my eyes is the most elegant woman in the world.’

Fendi unveiled its autumn/winter 2024 designs yesterday at Milan Fashion Week, with designer Silvia Venturini Fendi citing the 73-year-old Princess Royal as her inspiration

The designer called Anne ‘the chicest woman in the world… able to maintain her femininity while wearing a uniform’

Venturini Fendi, 63, added that her collection is about longevity and creating ‘clothing for life, don’t use it and throw it away’ – which is completely in line with Anne’s ethos

She continues: ‘When I saw the coronation last year with Princess Anne in her uniform, I thought she looked beautiful. So I said: ‘let’s get inspired for a men’s collection’. I loved the idea of ​​breaking barriers, breaking the masculine and feminine codes. The Princess Royal is very rigorous in the way she dresses, with a kind of military attitude, but at the same time feminine.

‘She has a life outside the spotlight. She is quite an anti-fashion person and to me that is actually very fashionable and chic.’

Venturini Fendi, 63, added that her collection is about longevity and creating “clothes for life, not to use and throw away” – which is completely in line with Anne’s ethos.

The Princess Royal is often seen recycling clothes at public events.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said she reused outfits “because I’m kind of mean.” And during her tour of Sri Lanka last week, she spoke out against fast, throwaway fashion, saying: ‘Think about how much ends up in landfill… we need materials that can create more than one fashion evolution.’

The Princess Royal is often seen recycling clothes at public events, including a blue fur-lined coat – a favorite during Christmas morning church services at Sandringham – which she has worn several times since 1976.

Fendi’s new collection featured outfits that would be suitable for a damp winter’s day on the moors at Balmoral, including lavish overcoats, leather boots, oiled waxed jackets and loose sweaters in moss green and slate gray tones.

Her own wardrobe includes a blue, fur-lined coat – a favorite during Christmas morning church services at Sandringham – which she has worn several times since 1976.

Fendi’s new collection featured outfits suitable for a damp winter’s day on the moors at Balmoral, including lavish overcoats, leather wellies, oiled waxed jackets and loose sweaters in moss green and slate gray tones.

In her Vanity Fair interview, the princess, who is chair of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, added: ‘I still try to buy materials and have clothes made up because I just like it more. It also helps support those who still produce in this country.

“We have to remember that we have those skills and there are still places doing great work.”

She joked that she enjoyed wearing military clothing, such as the Golden Cane Guard Uniform she wore for the coronation, “because it solves my clothing problem.”