Milan Fashion Week: Silvia Venturini Fendi sheds tears as she takes bow for AW19 on behalf of Karl Lagerfeld

'He shall be so missed'

Silvia Venturini Fendi cried as she took an emotional bow at the end of the Fendi autumn/winter 2019 show following the death of Karl Lagerfeld.

After model Gigi Hadid closed the show, an emotional Venturini Fendi - who is the granddaughter of Fendi's founders and creative director for accessories, menswear, and children - walked out onto the runway to the applause of the attendees.

As she left, a screen played a video of Lagerfeld sketching the outfit he wore on his first day working at Fendi in 1965.

In the clip, the camera focussed in on the sketch as the German-born designer can be heard describing his ensemble in the image which featured a Norfolk jacket, French style culottes, boots and a bag.

"I found [it] in Milan," he said of the accessory.

Ahead of the show, Fendi described the collection as “a love letter to Karl Lagerfeld”.

Gigi Hadid closes the Fendi autumn/winter 2019 runway show. (AFP/Getty Images)

Each attendee at the show was greeted with a card on their seat featuring the date the designer passed away (19 February) alongside his signature.

The show notes for the collection also noted a number of references to Lagerfeld including pointed shirt collars and the use of his curling “Karligraphy” FF logo that appeared on cabochon buttons and intarsia fur.

Venturini Fendi also penned a heartwarming message on the cards, writing: “The bond between Karl Lagerfeld and Fendi is fashion’s longest love story, one that will continue to touch our lives for years to come.

“I am profoundly saddened by his passing and deeply touched by his constant care and perseverance until the very end.

“When he called just a few days before the shoot, his only thoughts were the richness and beauty of the collection.

“It’s a true statement to his character. He shall be so missed.”

Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic at The New York Times, who attended the Fendi autumn/winter 2019 show shared a number of sketches that are thought to be Lagerfeld’s last.

Others posted pictures of the set design which included a handwritten sign above the runway that read: “Love Karl."

It has been suggested that Venturini Fendi will take the helm at the luxury fashion house. However this has not yet been confirmed.

A Fendi spokesperson told The Independent that the autumn/winter 2019/2019 collection was Largerfeld’s last.