British fashion designer Kim Jones, who was appointed artistic director
of Fendi in September 2020, has unveiled his for the Italian fashion house.
Drawing from seemingly diverse inspirations, from the visual language of
Bernini’s marbles to Virginia Woolf’s time-travelling, gender-blurring
novel ‘Orlando’, the show navigates through a maze-like structure of glass
boxes offering a “unique journey from the British Bloomsbury to Rome’s
Galleria Borghese,” explained the fashion house.
This was certainly the most anticipated show of the haute couture
season, not just because of it being Jones’ debut collection for the
Italian brand, but also to see which of his famous model friends would take
to the catwalk.
He didn’t disappoint with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Kate
Moss all marked their return to the catwalk, alongside appearances from
Kate’s daughter Lila Moss, Bella Hadid, Cara Delevingne, Adwoa Aboah, and
actress Demi Moore, who opened the show.
Supermodels Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Kate Moss return to
the catwalk for Fendi couture
Inspired by ‘Orlando’ and the Bloomsbury set of strong, intellectual
women, Jones’ debut couture collection, offered both looks for women and
men. It was filled with decadent, regal and structured silhouettes in
metallic brocade, luxe translucent silk fabrics, woven jacquards, and
hand-beaded tailoring.
A love letter written by Virginia Woolf to Vita Sackville-West in 1928,
only three years after Fendi was founded, Orlando’s literary conceits are
directly interspersed throughout the collection, in form of metal-bound
book clutches, as well as the text itself being inscribed onto Mother of
Pearl minaudières and leather boots.
Another key detailing is in the embroidered embellishments on the gowns
inspired by painted murals from Charleston, home of the Bloomsbury Group in
Sussex, located only a short distance from where Jones spent much of his
childhood.
“I like how this family of people – and particularly these two
pioneering sisters – moved things forward,” says Jones in the show notes.“I
admire the way that they lived their lives, the freedom that they created
for themselves and the art that they left behind for the world.”
Highlights from the show included a pearl-encrusted chiffon gown worn
over a cream bodysuit, a metallic brocade suit, a grey maxi embroidered
maxi dress with capelet sleeves, numerous beaded and sheer layered gowns,
and off-the-shoulder two-pieces.
For red carpet events in the future, celebrity stylists were probably
adding the gorgeous capes to their wishlist. Worn by men and women, the
capes were seen over tailored trouser suits as well as draped over slinky
gowns in gold, navy and silver marble-effect prints, inspired by the
hand-printed, marble-bound books published by Virginia and Leonard Woolf
for Hogarth Press.
There was also a small homage to Karl Lagerfeld with Karligraphy
monograms taken from Lagerfeld’s final collection beaded onto boots.
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Images: courtesy of Fendi