FAMILY is an intrinsic part of the Fendi brand that is evident in every look, every bag, every creation since its founding. So when Kim Jones approached the autumn-winter 2023 collection, he didn’t look far for inspiration but to Silvia Venturini Fendi’s daughter – Delfina. A woman born into the Italian House, who has breathed a new vision into it and is equipped with a wardrobe that combines the archive and the latest runway samples, so Jones studied how Deflina Delettrez Fendi sees Fendi.
“It all started with Deflina,” stated Jones in the show notes. “There’s a chicness but a perversity to the way she twists Fendi, which is what I love”.
A modern woman with a contemporary taste that is heavily influenced by traditional elegance is what Jones understood, but while he has an unwandering eye on the heiress, he is also heavily influenced by culture. Playing with binaries, exploring the beauty within construction and deconstruction as well as the relationship between masculinity and femininity, AW23 is laced with contrasts that somehow create a symphony of harmonious looks.
Rigid tailoring was interrupted as it took shape with twisted forms, and more utilitarian silhouettes were evident as workwear took centre stage for this ready-to-wear offering, with boiler-suits, aprons and suits foregrounding the masculine side to the collection. This array is juxtaposed by layers of lace, lingerie slips, thigh-high boots and sequinned linings, all nodding to the sexier side of today’s Fendi woman.
“It’s deconstructed, but luxurious,” begins the artistic director. “There’s a little nod to punk, and my admiration for DIY, but moved on towards something chic. The first day that Delfina walked into work, she was wearing blue and brown, and I thought she looked so great”.
Despite the web of intricacies to the collection, understanding the origins of each idea stemming from the Fendi family brings a purity to the clothes. Jones once again has created staple pieces for women that balance wearability with sophistication bringing his customers a plethora of looks to weave in and out of as the winter season develops.
by Imogen Clark