Fendi

The eyes of the fashion world are on Milan this week as fashion week descends upon the city. While the runway has certainly been serving some incredible style inspiration, Arab influencers flitting through the crowded streets of Milan or on the front rows of fashion shows are not far behind. Read on to discover what influencers such as Rania Fawaz, Hala Abdallah, and more chose to wear in Milan.

Rania Fawwaz
Photo: instagram.com/raniafawazz
On her way to the Diesel FW23 show, Fawaz opted for washed-out denim on denim in a nod to the brand’s identity. Building on that look was a mini 1DR that she paired with neon green Francesca Bellavita heels.
Rym Saidi 
Photo: instagram.com/rymsaidi
Adorned in a monochrome look, Rym Saidi was a vision to behold as she headed to the Fendi show. The Tunisian model wore Fendi from head to toe in shades of beige and brown with a white mini Peekaboo bag on her arm.
Hala Abdallah 
Photo: instgaram.com/thehala
On her way to the MaxMara show, the Saudi influencer was spotted wearing a co-ord suit in the brand’s signature earthy tones. Pairing it with a cropped black tee and platform boots meant that the only bright color in her outfit was the flower pinned to her lapel.
Fatema Alawadhi
Photo: instagram.com/justfatema
Fatima Alawadhi certainly must have turned some heads as she showed up to the Roberto Cavalli show in a faux fur animal print ensemble. Her white hijab stood out in stark contrast with the darker tones of her outfit.
Ola Farahat 
Photo: instagram.com/olafarahat
Spotted on her way to the Fendi show, Ola Farahat was seen in a satin blue Fendi overcoat and skirt, her Fendi First bag in pink leather completing the contrasting pastel look.
Diala Makki
Photo: instagram.com/dialamakki
TV host Diala Makki was also spotted in animal print as she walked to the Roberto Cavalli show, her overcoat flaring behind her as it revealed an inner lining of leopard print.
Read Next: 5 Things to Know About Fendi’s Delfina Delettrez-Inspired Milan Fashion Week A/W 2023 Show

Artistic director Kim Jones dedicated his autumn/winter 2023 Fendi collection to a muse: Delfina Delettrez Fendi, a fourth generation member of the family who serves as the house’s creative director for jewellry. Anders Christian Madsen shares five things to know about the collection.

The show set featured a tunnel of lights
Photo: Getty

There was something celestial about the tunnel of laser-like lights Kim Jones projected through Fendi’s mile-long runway room in Milan this season. The house’s Roman relationship between the ancient and the futuristic is an ongoing treat for Jones, a sci-fi fan who revels in analysing and interpreting this instinctive culture of the Fendi family. “Delfina is a muse for me,” he said in a preview, referring to Delfina Delettrez Fendi, who also serves as creative director of jewellery at the house. Once again, he dedicated the collection to her wardrobe. And as his models arrived through the illuminated tunnel – to the opening theme from Twin Peaks – they felt like his Roman sci-fi goddesses.
Kim Jones dedicated the collection to Delfina Delettrez Fendi
Photo: Getty
Jones described Delettrez’s look as a combination between chicness and perversity, a pairing he expressed in twisted classics – literally and figuratively – like knitwear, blazers and pleated skirts. If they had a certain sex appeal, it was amplified by plenty of strict leather pieces, from little dresses to lace-up boots and kilts. “It’s looking at little twisted things that are kind of perverse,” Jones said, gesturing at a trouser with a buckle strapped across its crotch. Asked how he practically approaches the adaptation of the heiress’s clothes, Jones said a visit to her private wardrobe is on the agenda. But so far, “She comes in with stuff, I just steal it.”
The collection drew on details from Fendi’s haute couture
Photo: Getty
Jones imbued his collection with elements from his haute couture: an everyday mac lined in not-so-everyday sequins, or shirting morphed with lace camisoles that nodded to his January show. “It’s really clear Fendi codes and that’s what it’s about. It’s capturing that elegant, chic, sophisticated Fendi woman,” he said. “I’m thinking about the future and looking at the things that work for us, which are tailoring, knitwear and dresses. It’s taking all those elements and putting them into a collection.” Sometimes he code-switched those components, like in dresses constructed in very light tailoring fabrics that contributed to an overall sartorial atmosphere throughout the collection.

Jones took inspiration from a 1996 Karl Lagerfeld dress

Photo: Getty

In May, the Metropolitan Museum in New York will unveil its Karl Lagerfeld spectacular. But while Jones is involved in proceedings, he said his approach to Fendi is becoming more and more family-focused: “The next three collections, there’s not really any Karl in them. It’s there but it’s ever-present. You have to think about the Fendi family. They are the people who really count in the end.” This time, only one archival Lagerfeld dress inspired the collection: a knitted column dress from 1996 with a single stripe down the side. “I thought it was nice to have that line,” Jones explained.
There were two new bags
Photo: Getty
The collection introduced two new bags designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi: a multipurpose bag named, well, Multi, and the handbag C’Mon. “I think what is really nice is the movement of the bag, that it can be two things in one. That duality is very Fendi, as is the idea of something which appears simple but, in reality, is very complex,” she said of the former. As for the latter: “The idea was to create pieces that were very pure in order to match the sophistication of the collection.”

Born in Rome, Fendi found in the UAE its most glorious home. CEO Serge Brunschwig takes Vogue Arabia on a private tour of the revamped Dubai address.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
It’s no secret that Dubai Mall, which holds the record for the biggest shopping destination in the world, is also one of the most luxurious style destinations. The competition is fierce, and to stand out, brands must invest in magnificent flagships, and the bigger the better. Initially opened in 2018, the Fendi boutique recently underwent a vertical expansion doubling in size, showcasing the brand’s long-lasting understanding of stunning interiors. Inspired by the grandeur of Rome, the city where Fendi was established in 1925, the two-floor boutique features geometric diagonal and glass windows emphasized by LED arches recalling those of Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, and displays an impressive selection of marble and furniture. One of the standouts is a round elevator, made of glass and gold specks, that allows access to three secret rooms connected by a corridor of dramatic velvet curtains. There you will find an area fully dedicated to furs, with different samples for coats made to order; the White Diamond Room, where the latest Couture collection is paired with boutique-exclusive pieces; and the Amber Room, unveiling, in a world premiere, a home decor and lifestyle accessories collection, a new category for Fendi. Signaling the importance of the Arab market, the boutique offers an array of outstanding (and very often customizable) pieces, that reflect the know-how of the brand in sourcing the best raw materials in fashion. Exhibit one: A bejeweled Peekaboo bag, crafted to celebrate the reopening of the UAE flagship, in camel-shaded crocodile skin with an 18ct gold finish and a closure with 12.9ct white diamonds. The Dubai boutique is also the first location worldwide where Fendi is presenting fine jewelry.
Serge Brunschwig. Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
CEO Serge Brunschwig, who joined Fendi in 2018 after stints at Christian Dior Couture, Louis Vuitton, and Celine, reveals more.
You are celebrating five years as the chairman and CEO of Fendi. How does it feel to start this cycle with this new flagship?It feels very symbolic, since I was here four years ago for the opening of the initial boutique, with only one floor. And four years later, I’m back!  This boutique is two times the size, it is very luxurious, with three VIP rooms… It has all the ingredients of modern luxury. We have also grown as a brand; we are producing more beautiful objects, we have the best talent joining us. It is all quite exciting and shows that we are probably doing things right.
There are new categories being presented worldwide in this boutique. What does that say about the importance of the Middle East for Fendi?I think there is a natural fit between Fendi and the region. We share a sense of luxury, refinement, and family. There is no place in the world where family has the same importance and appreciation. I believe that the Middle East also understands fur, jewelry, and exotic materials. This is key for us, as the creativity of Fendi is expressed many times through the materials we source. Just look at the baguette! There are hundreds of versions, but they are all so different due to the extraordinary material creativity.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
Speaking of raw materials, and in this case a controversial one, will Fendi continue to work with fur in the future?Fur will have a long and prosperous future in Fendi for two reasons. Firstly, I’m all for freedom. If people want to buy, they’re welcome; if they don’t want to buy, they’re also welcome. Secondly, I support Italian craftsmanship. If you visit our factories, you will see people of all generations, and I’m responsible for their future. I also want to make sure that they can continue to express their art. Having said this, we are doing a lot of research on materials, applying our craftsmanship on fur to natural materials, to create a similar look and feel. When you are in the boutique you can go for mink, for shearling, or for cashmere transformed by our extraordinary talents into something like fur. Everyone is happy and will continue like this.
Silvia and Delfinna Fendi are still very present in the business, as artistic directors, even though the family brand was bought by LVMH in 2000. Do you see this as a challenge or an opportunity?We are very lucky. I think that what makes the brand so special is that there is somebody like Silvia and her daughter Delfina, who are so passionate about the legacy. And they are not with us for money, they do it for passion. Silvia once told me, “This is my name, so it’s my life. I’ll do whatever I can to pass on to the next generation what I received from my mother, my aunts, my grandmother, and Karl Lagerfeld [Fendi creative director for 54 years]. When you start working at Fendi, you really feel like you are entering a family. This is why the LVMH group – which is also a family conglomerate – is the perfect fit for this family brand. The company has been successful in continuing and protecting family stories. Look at Fendi now: it is 10 times bigger than when it was purchased, everything is made in Italy, we hire everyday Italians, and we have an extraordinary office in Rome – while the family is still involved.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
What was your highlight of 2022?I’m proud of the two factories we recently opened. The first one is in the Tuscan hills, and completely integrates the lovely landscape. For instance, our roof is a garden, with flowers and small trees. And under, there’s an amazing modern factory. We opened a second factory dedicated to shoes, with a beautiful metallic facade. These are important investments at the heart of the brand. I’m also proud of our sense of continuity. We are and always will be artisans. Of course, with all the publicity around Fendi, things change nature, but at the end of the day, we are craftsmen making beautiful objects for our customers.
Although Fendi is a very artisanal and patrimony brand, we can feel a shift in the communication towards a younger audience. How do you safeguard the values of the brand while speaking to a different customer?The success of a brand depends on this continuity. If you look to the past, we didn’t call the young generation of 50 years ago Gen Z, but there was also a young audience that you had to understand and communicate with. It is very important to understand how the brand can reinvent itself, so we can talk to the customer of today and tomorrow. And how does this happen? This is the essential role of the creative director, who, better than anyone, will translate the mood of the times into objects. His inspiration is indispensable.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
The baguette just celebrated 25 years with an amazing show and campaign. Are you happy with all that was achieved?It was an extraordinary tribute to Fendi, and we need to thank Kim Jones for that. You can feel his love for the Fendi brand, the Fendi family, and the Fendi woman. He understood completely this icon of the brand and created a baguette for the new generation. I love how he literally places the bag everywhere, even in pockets. It was a fantastic show.
Recently Fendi entered the world of NFTs, which is quite interesting for a brand so attached to creating “real” products that you can touch and feel. What is your view on this?We use all our communications tools, and I appreciate that this area will be a talking point for a certain audience. But for me, people want real products. I don’t think we are going to sell only objects that don’t exist. Let’s see what happens.
Originally published in the February 2023 issue of Vogue Arabia
Read Next: Winnie Harlow, Imaan Hammam, Adwoa Aboah: All the Stars Seen at Fendi’s NYFW Show Celebrating 25 Years of the Baguette

Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
The wait is over. After staging a spectacular show in New York marking the Fendi Baguette‘s 25th anniversary, its celebratory collection arrives at boutiques on November 3.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
The offering is made to be one for the books by unprecedented collaborations with designers and brands like Marc Jacobs, Kim Jones, Tiffany & Co., Porter, and Sarah Jessica Parker who famously wore the bag as Carrie Bradshaw in the hit show Sex And The City. Ranging from clothing to accessories, the collection features unique interpretations of the coveted piece first designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi in 1997, and the spirit and geography of New York—where the bag gained its cult favorite status. Marc Jacobs’ take on the collection saw ready-to-wear inspired by the “gritty New York cityscape” with pieces emblazoned with the brand’s monogram, ‘The Tote Bag’, and ‘Fendiroma’. Tiffany & Co. transformed the bag into glittering arm candies with precious white gold fastenings, sterling silver, diamonds, as well as the unmistakable Tiffany Blue.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
For Parker, it only made sense that her rendition of the Baguette is inscribed by her famed quip from the series: “It’s not a bag, it’s a Baguette.” The exterior of the bag comes covered entirely in degradé sequins, and in a palette of purple, wasabi, baby pink, or soft blue, with four interchangeable buckles. As for Porter, the luggage brand has put a utilitarian spin on the bag with the Bum Baguette, which combines Japanese craftsmanship and functionality with its hard-wearing bonded nylon.  Fendi’s own offering for the Baguette, designed by the artistic director of womenswear and couture Kim Jones, brings together mini and micro dimensions of the bag across the collection in the form of pockets on parkers, gloves, hats, and skirts.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
Read Next: Exclusive: Fendi’s Kim Jones Talks About Celebrating 25 Years of the Baguette with Marc Jacobs in New York

Winnie Harlow, Imaan Hammam and Shay Mitchell at the Fendi show
New York Fashion Week had a star-studded beginning this season as some of the fashion industry’s biggest names arrived in the Big Apple for the Fendi show. Marking 25 years of the iconic Baguette created by Silvia Venturini Fendi, Kim Jones, the fashion house’s artistic director of womenswear collaborated with Marc Jacobs on a stunning collection that was “an interpretation and celebration” that is not only a wardrobe staple but also a pop culture icon.
Seated on the front row was Sarah Jessica Parker, the actor who famously said, “It’s not a bag, it’s a Baguette” as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City, thus forever linking the arm candy to New York, and later, collaborated with Fendi on a pink sequin version. Dressed in a neutral-toned ensemble with a pop of color courtesy of the Baguette, Jessica Parker took her place next to Kim Kardashian, who arrived in a sparkly mesh dress. The reality TV star and entrepreneur, too, has a special relationship with the fashion house following the much-loved collaboration between her shapewear brand Skims and Fendi. Supermodel power was in full force at the show, with Kate Moss giving rocker chic style a spin in a strappy dress with black boots, alongside Grace Jones, Christy Turlington, Amber Valetta, Winnie Harlow, and Imaan Hammam.
Also in attendance were friends of the fashion house and stars from the entertainment world, including Stranger Things actor Natalia Dyer, Maude Apatow from Euphoria, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel‘s Rachel Brosnahan, and Academy Award winner Naomi Watts.

Below, see all the stars who got a first look at Fendi’s New York Fashion Week showcase.
Winnie Harlow and Kim Kardashian. Photo: Getty
Imaan Hammam. Photo: Getty
Karlie Kloss. Photo: Getty
Kate Moss. Photo: Getty
Adwoa Aboah. Photo: Getty
Amber Valletta and Sarah Jessica Parker. Photo: Getty
Winnie Harlow. Photo: Getty
Aimee Song. Photo: Getty
Daphne Guinness. Photo: Getty
Christy Turlington, Amber Valletta, Kate Moss, and Shalom Harlow. Photo: Getty
Law Roach. Photo: Getty
Lori Harvey. Photo: Getty
Naomi Watts. Photo: Getty
Natalia Dyer. Photo: Getty
LaLa Anthony, Kim Kardashian, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Naomi Watts. Photo: Getty
Nicholas Galitzine. Photo: Getty
Olivia Culpo. Photo: Getty
Sarah Jessica Parker. Photo: Getty
Sasha Meneghel. Photo: Getty
Shay Mitchell. Photo: Getty
Tommy and Dee Hilfiger. Photo: Getty
Kim Kardashian. Photo: Getty
Read Next: Exclusive: Fendi’s Kim Jones Talks About Celebrating 25 Years of the Baguette with Marc Jacobs in New York

“I wanted lightness in the clothes this season,” Fendi’s artistic director Kim Jones says of his fresh approach to the brand’s autumn/winter 2022 haute couture collection. Below, Anders Christian Madsen shares his key takeaways from the show.

Kim Jones debuted a lighter take on haute couture
Photo: Gorunway.com

There was a lightness to the savoir-faire Kim Jones presented for Fendi on Thursday afternoon in Palais Brongniart, which uplifted his take on haute couture with a new freshness. As the show progressed, he quite literally peeled off the layers until the lightness reached a point of near-nudity, with buoyant embroidered overlays floating ethereally over the models’ skin. “It’s pretty light,” he concurred during a preview. “I wanted lightness in the clothes this season, also in terms of how the embroideries were done.” If Jones’s first forays into couture at Fendi were about showcasing his discoveries of the magic made possible by the artisans of this haute institution through multi-layered craftsmanship, this season represented a clean slate, and one that felt like a way of using haute couture as a proposal for ideas that could trickle into real life.

It featured Kata Yuzen motifs from Japan
Photo: Gorunway.com

It all began with a trip to Japan in March, before the borders opened. “I managed to get in. I was so determined,” Jones said, hinting at some next-level string-pulling. “I used to go six times a year. I love it so much. We went to see a number of the suppliers we’ve always worked with on special projects, and I bought all these fragments of 17th-century kimonos. Just pieces of hand-painted silk fabric.” His finds prompted him to contact a family of traditional Kata Yuzen fabric-makers in Kyoto, whom he knew from previous collaborations. “They hadn’t really been working very much because there were no ceremonies in two years. I asked if they would like to do something with us.” The results were a series of beautiful fragment patterns in pastel colors, which Jones worked into column dresses that cut a monastic silhouette for the collection that felt decidedly Fendi.
It was a real-life approach to couture
Photo: Gorunway.com

“With me, when I’m looking at stuff, I’m always thinking past, present, future. The past is the research, the present is now, and the future is the idea of where it’s going to go,” Jones said, referring to the optical white box that framed the show and added the sense of futurism to proceedings, which was also present in his previous haute couture show. It had a simplifying effect on a collection that felt like a real consideration for how haute couture might be used in everyday life – by the lucky few – and, more importantly, how it might serve to push and inspire ideas for ready-to-wear. Take for instance the scalloped embroideries that adorned a two-piece set, which was, essentially, a T-shirt and a slouchy trouser. Along with the Kata Yuzen, these motifs and techniques felt ripe for ready-to-wear adaptation.
Jones gave us daywear couture
Photo: Gorunway.com

Jones also made pragmatic proposals for daywear couture. The two exquisitely-cut tailored looks that opened the show were created from the finest vicuna, a tactility Jones went on to interpret in the knitted dresses that followed. “Loro Piana always send me a piece of vicuna for Christmas. I always make myself a nice tailored coat out of it,” he quipped, but those desires are entirely universal. Of the knitwear, Jones said it was all about creating a super-luxe lightness for real-life (the extravagant kind, in any case). “I wanted to have some light knitwear pieces for, you know, that jet-set lifestyle of the client. They can wear that on the plane and get off and still [feel] fabulous.” Seeing Jones tackle the idea of real-life daywear in his haute couture was great and created a real affinity with his ready-to-wear collections.
Jones has the same birth chart as Karl Lagerfeld
Photo: Gorunway.com

Asked by Suzy Menkes if he’s the new Karl Lagerfeld – what with his multi-faceted work schedule and all – Jones laughed. “I don’t think I’m the new Karl, but I have exactly the same birth chart. I like to work hard.” In the case of this collection, his hard work was in the detail: a subtle, muted and pared-back illustration of the painstaking art form that is haute couture. “Fendi is about a working woman. A woman that’s powerful,” he said, reflecting on the role of the collection in the real world. “I love the colors. I’m really happy with it.”

Originally published in Vogue.co.uk 
Read next: How Louis Vuitton, Dior And Fendi Are Selling On Their Leftover Fabrics

Photo: Courtesy Fendi and Versace
First announced back in September 2021, fashion houses Fendi and Versace’s collaborative line, aka #Fendace, dropped today in Dubai, Los Angeles, Kuwait, Paris and Tokyo, and as expected, has received a wave of appreciation from fashion enthusiasts. Featuring the iconic Naomi Campbell, Moroccan-Egyptian-Dutch model Imaan Hammam, South Sudanese-Australian beauty Adut Akech, American model of South Sudanese heritage Anok Yai, Ethiopia’s Amar Akway, Lina Zhang from China, and Anja Rubik from Poland, the campaign was shot by none other than Steven Meisel, and seamlessly embodies the fun, playful vibe of the line.
Photo: Courtesy Fendi and Versace
Marrying Fendi’s love for logomania with Versace’s globally-loved baroque patterns, the Fendace collection pops with a vibrant palette and lots of sparkle. “It’s a swap rather than a collaboration and, most of all, it is done out of friendship,” Kim Jones shared. “It is the beauty of togetherness after time apart and a celebration of women who have inspired me so much.”

And it looks like Donatella Versace couldn’t agree more. “The campaign captures the same sense of friendship and energy we had when we were designing the collection. Kim is a visionary designer and innovator. To me, Fendace will always mean love,” the designer said.
Photo: Courtesy Fendi and Versace

Among the most exciting creations to be found in the new Fendace collection are the reinvented versions of two classics. Versace’s signature La Medusa bag will be available in two alternate print finishes, with the La Medusa plaque sharing space with Fendi FF trims, and the Trigreca sneakers can be seen doused in Versace’s gold baroque work and Fendi’s trademark print.

Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
In celebration of the new Peekaboo Petite and Micro handbags, Fendi has joined forces with Italian film director and friend of the house, Luca Guadagnino, to create a short film starring former Vogue Arabia cover star Adwoa Aboah. The campaign film created by the Call Me By Your Name director features the top model soaring through Rome over through its rooftops before eventually landing on Fendi’s Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
“With the DNA of Fendi being Rome, we, of course, talked about Rome – but instead of being in Rome, being above Rome,” says Guadagnino of the film’s concept. “We had this idea of levity – of the Peekaboo bag, at the center of the movie, being the magical driver behind Adwoa flying over the ancient city.”
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
Aboah was chosen by the Italian fashion house for their shared values around women empowerment and independence. The film sees her depicted as a “fashionable incarnation of superwoman” flying over Rome’s skies in a dreamlike fantasy before touching down on Earth to determine her fate, claiming her own autonomy. “I think that carrying a Peekaboo says something about a very strong, powerful, and empowered person who is not afraid to hide,” says Silvia Venturini Fendi, creative director of Fendi. “It has its two compartments — one you can keep close to you and closed, and the other where you can choose to reveal something of yourself to the world.”
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
“I feel part of Fendi,” says Guadagnino of working with the fashion house. “I am very close friends with Fendi – as a brand for sure but, most importantly, as a friend of people who are pillars of the company. I feel a very deep connection with the brand – and my mother used to wear Fendi back in the 70s and 80s so the logo, the type of materials, the quality and the design of Fendi have always been part of my imagery.”
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
Read Next: 5 Things To Know About Fendi’s Soft-Meets-Hard Milan Fashion Week Fall 2022 Show

Milan Fashion Week came back strong after two years in the deep due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Making bold choices, participating designers played with the fall and winter season colors of black, brown, white, beige, blue, and silver/grey, creating an almost dark/light academia aesthetic. Standing out were Roberto Cavalli’s striking leopard patterns with draping suit jackets and majestic cape dresses, while Dolce & Gabbana made statements with headscarves paired with demure silhouettes in monochrome palettes. Versace embraced a similar mood, but with form-fitting shapes, and Jil Sander took on a more formal approach and offered a modest suit in yellow and a grey dress paired with white leather gloves.
Below, check out the 35 best modest looks spotted on the runways of Milan Fashion Week.
Dolce & Gabbana. Photo: Courtesy of Fillippo Fior
Gucci. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Roberto Cavalli. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Versace. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Max Mara. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Roberto Cavalli. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Alberta Ferretti. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Versace. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Max Mara. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Roberto Cavalli. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Prada. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Alberta Ferretti. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Loro Piana. Photo: Courtesy of Loro Piana
Versace. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Dolce & Gabbana. Photo: Courtesy of Fillipo Fior
Moschino. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Emporio Armani. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Max Mara. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Dolce & Gabbana. Photo: Courtesy of Fillippo Fior
Fendi. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Giorgio Armani. Photo: Courtesy of Fillippo Fior
Bottega Veneta. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Versace. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Fendi. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Etro. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Versace. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Jil Sander. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Gucci. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Prada. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Jil Sander. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Versace. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Gucci. Photo: Courtesy of GoRunway
Bottega. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Emporio Armani. Photo: Courtesy of Alessandro Lucioni
Giorgio Armani. Photo: Courtesy of Fillippo Fior
Read Next: The 27 Best Modest Looks from London Fashion Week Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear

Bella Hadid at Fendi
The collection referenced Fendi’s SS00 collection
 Since joining Fendi a year ago, Kim Jones has been exploring the codes of Fendi and what they could mean to a new generation of shoppers. Because this house was built around fur and handbags, that’s no easy task. While everybody knows the Fendi logo designed by Karl Lagerfeld, “the Fendi look” is perhaps more elusive. “I’m still working them out, but I’m looking at points in time which are relevant for now,” he said backstage, referring to those codes. “Particularly, the spring/summer 2000 show was something I really always looked at, even when I was at college.” That collection epitomized what Lagerfeld, with typical loaded elegance, would refer to as “the unbearable lightness of being”: lightweight, diaphanous, buoyant garments, which he’d sometimes layer to create filtrage effects that looked like modern art.
It also referenced Fendi’s SS86 collection

Jones fused his memories of SS00 with reinterpretations of the prints Lagerfeld used in his spring/summer 1986 collection for Fendi, an ode to the geometric language of the Memphis movement. “I’m not a fan of nostalgia, but when something is really good and it feels right to look at, I do it. I’ve been looking at lots of the codes of the house, and, you know, he was there for 54 years so it’s hard to ignore,” Jones said, referring to Lagerfeld. The fusion between the two memories made for a Fendi collection that sometimes evoked the late designer’s spirit, but through a lens adjusted to the sexier, more sensual, more erotic female image that currently surrounds us on social media.
It was soft vs hard

“There’s something quite lingerie about Fendi,” Jones said, referring to the transparent slip dresses, bustiers, and pyjama-like shirts and trousers that embodied the soft side of the collection. In contrast, tailoring – also informed by the SS86 collection – was sharp, tight, and layered with tonal panels that had an industrial quality to them. That sensibility was heightened by the tunnel-like concrete runway Jones had erected within Fendi’s in-house show space, adding a certain chilliness to looks otherwise often tactile in spirit. “Concrete and chiffon and how that can be put together. Women are hard and soft,” Jones pointed out.
Delfina Delettrez inspired the Memphis idea

At Fendi, Jones’s methodology is family-focused. Working side-by-side with Silvia Venturini Fendi and her daughter Delfina Delettrez, he observes the way the Fendi women dress, shop and borrow from one another. It was, in fact, Delettrez who inspired the re-introduction of the Memphis collection. “Delfina came in, in one of the Memphis blouses, and I loved it so much that I took it off her back and put it on the research rail. That was how that started,” he said, referring to a print blouse Delettrez had nicked from her mother’s wardrobe. Both women are excellent muses – Venturini’s handsome, tailored elegance could definitely play inspiration to a future Fendi collection as depicted by Jones.
There were more bags than ever

Any collection that seeks to explore and define the codes of Fendi would have to be bag-centric. Jones and Venturini – the brand’s head of accessories – went all out, embellishing almost every look with a bag, and sometimes several, like the miniature bags attached to the clothes. New bags included additions to Fendi’s Hand-in-Hand project, which commissions artisans from around Italy to interpret the Baguette, as well as three Baguette revivals: one in cashmere, one in shearling-lined leather, and one in intarsia mink. “That was the thing for me when I first came to Fendi: I knew the handbags much better than the clothes,” Jones said. “Silvia does an amazing job, and I like to celebrate that because I love Silvia.”
Originally published in Vogue.co.uk