Fendi Cropped Blazers
Clip from Fendi’s SS22 Menswear Runway

June 22, 2021: After a year of abandoning our wardrobe during the coronavirus pandemic and now dealing with sweltering temperatures, this season’s proving to be a challenge when it comes to our summer wardrobe. Dressing functional without sacrificing style is a skill that many of us are still attempting to acquire (myself included). But recently, on Saturday, June 19, to be exact, I saw Fendi’s Spring 2022 menswear show—and it was the inspiration I was so desperately searching for. 

The runway show—filmed in Rome at dusk—oozed summer vibes. But it was the models in linen sets in blue, green, yellow, and purple pastel hues that, well, changed my life. The standout look? Cropped blazers with matching shorts and pants. It’s probably not office-appropriate, but I fully intend on pairing a similar look with a crossbody baguette bag for the summer season. Swap for the trousers also debuted in the collection and could even make a case for carrying over to the fall season.

Creative Director Venturini Fendi calls the collection “a breath of fresh air to menswear, and I agree that this sentiment is the perfect way to describe it. With Kim Jones taking the helm of womenswear as creative director for the Italian brand, Fendi has been hard at work on menswear—and it shows. I’m just happy I took my quarantine workout seriously and ready to swap out my wardrobe for each of these sets in every colorway.

Cropped Blazer
Ginuwine attends the 20th Anniversary celebration of BET at the Paris Hotel May 6, 2000 in Las Vegas, NV.

Although a modern and refreshing approach, men in cropped blazers isn’t a new trend by any means. The style originated in the late 80s to early 90s, when men wore cropped tops more freely (hello, have you seen Will Smith in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?) A-listers such as Prince and Ginuwine also wore the belly button showing trend while performing or on the red carpet in 2000.