As someone who grew up surrounded by fur pelts and leather scraps in the ateliers of the company founded by her grandparents in Rome in 1925, Silvia Venturini Fendi, the family scion who is artistic director of accessories and menswear at the LVMH-owned label, is deeply aware that without artisans there would be no Fendi, as she said in a pre-show interview.

She came up with the decision to show the men’s collection at the factory, which is the first leather-goods factory in the world to receive the LEED platinum certification, to share her love for “this place that nourishes creativity, where we experiment, and where new things begin”. (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.)

By opening the factory to media, influencers, buyers and other guests, Silvia didn’t just want to showcase the way Fendi pieces are made and the state-of-the-art facilities where its workers spend their days. She also wanted to give the artisans the chance to see what it is like to put on a fashion show and to get a glimpse of the glamorous side of the industry that they’re rarely privy to. “Now they understand the emotion and the adrenaline of a fashion show,” she said. “It’s very important to make them part of it.”

The collection is also a vibrant homage to the uniforms of the factory workers. Outfits were styled with leather aprons and came equipped with plenty of handy pockets. Shirt sleeves were rolled up to leave hands free to move. Reflecting the “men at work” mood, models clad in denim separates and other workwear staples walked carrying disposable coffee cups with Fendi-monogrammed leather sleeves and takeaway boxes, ready to take on the day.

A silk shirt and ties are printed with images of the tools of leather workers “to celebrate the art of leather and of Fendi as the master of materials”, explained Silvia.

“I also wanted to show how modern all this is because there is this idea that being an artisan is an old type of work, but today there is this interaction between workers and machines and technology helps elevate their work,” she explained.

At the end of the show, which was attended by celebrities such as actors Alexander Skarsgård, Greg Hsu and recently named Fendi ambassador Nicholas Galitzine, the entire workforce of the factory walked down the runway to take the final bow, some of them visibly fighting tears.

In the past, Fendi has hosted magnificent shows in spectacular locations such as the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum in Rome and even the Great Wall of China. While this runway presentation didn’t have the grandeur of those outings, it was a much more powerful gesture that shone the spotlight on the people who actually make fashion happen, showing that there is much more to this global industry than just pretty dresses and glitzy affairs.