FALL FEMININITY
Fendi’s Ready-toWear Autumn-Winter 2021 collection embodies feminine power, inspired by the five Fendi sisters who led a female fashion dynasty
Kim Jones explores Fendi’s rich Roman history in his first ready-towear collection for the house. The English-born designer took a deep dive through the Fendi archives, engaging in a homage to house codes enhanced through deep discussions with Silvia Venturini Fendi.
The collection expresses timeless femininity with neutral tones and flattering silhouettes. Drawing on the savoir-faire that has long defined the Fendi name, Jones delivers a celebration of exceptional Italian elegance as seen from a fresh perspective.
The wardrobes of the five Fendi sisters, Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla and Alda, serve as a foundational root of inspiration. The new collection offers women “real clothes,” as Jones describes it: practical, beautiful garments that women want to buy and live their lives in confidence and comfort. With sumptuous materials and perfectly proportioned wool tailoring, the collection retains a sensual identity native to Fendi.
From bell sleeve sofa washed mink and bonded suede coat to the pinstripes of office attire, now rendered in silken shirting, the collection is a snapshot of the past viewed through a modern lens. A utilitarian shirt jacket inspired by Silvia Venturini Fendi’s daily uniform conveys extravagant style in shearling with a bonded mink interior. “The Fendi family are women of intellect who work hard – and that is what I wanted to celebrate,” notes Jones.
Double cashmere and camel outerwear extend into mink tricot as wool-fringed scarves appear at once profoundly practical and deeply desirable. Similar forms appear elsewhere, translated into draped shirts and dresses. “I’m taking the amazing, strong women who I both know and work with and listening to their needs,” Jones continues. “There is a usefulness to the collection, explored in a chic, timeless way,” the designer adds, committed to creating more ready-to-wear lines catered to the current age.
The collection premiers a renewed architectural Fendi F mule, taking inspiration from an archival sketch of the Fendi First shoe. The subtle omnipresence of the Karligraphy monogram offers a nod to Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy. Meanwhile, motifs from Jones’ Couture collection make appearances in marbled silk dresses, floral rosettes, or delicate organza embroideries on jacquard knits.
On close inspection, the new collection reflects the devotion of Fendi’s ateliers to remarkable craftsmanship. A mink herringbone jacket appears featherlight through its suspended construction, while leather suiting inset with ajour embroidery or Karligraphy monograms laser-cut into suede command attention.
“Fun isn’t always just about bright colours,” says Jones. “It can be about luxurious selfindulgence, which pleases the person wearing it more than anyone else,” the designer adds. Embossed Selleria stitching on gabardine trenches, double cashmere coats and leather accessories reflect a decadent spirit.
Silvia Venturini Fendi directs the appearance of a wealth of new accessories to accompany the new chapter for Fendi. Fendi First pays tribute to the off-kilter irreverence of the brand, cleverly tilting the Fendi monogram into the Frame soft clutch, indicating evolution.
It comes in several variations, from a dimension wide enough to accommodate a tablet to a micro pouch strung as jewellery. Available in shearling, leather and exotics, the feminine bag will appeal to a broad spectrum of fashionistas.
The Fendi Way tote and Fendi Touch shoulder bag also adapt new silhouettes. Meanwhile, the classic Peekaboo and Sunshine Shopper warp into new proportions, decorated with Selleria details. This season, the Fendi hand in hand project takes the legendary Baguette, adapting Campania’s artisanal talent into a limited-edition series of artistic objects. Intricate wood inlays encountered in 6thcentury Benedictine monasteries transform into a veneered Baguette bag, vaunting stable structure and baroque-style floral motif.
In terms of jewellery, Delfina Delettrez Fendi presents a new jewellery range for the house, Fendi O’Lock. The creative director of Fendi jewellery evolves the Fendi logo into graphic modernity through its carabineer form. It is complete with padlocks that can only be released by dialling Fendi. Other notable accessories include wax seal pendants stamped with Karligraphy, strung from golden chains and metal cuffs. These pieces are covered in leather and embellished with Selleria details, adding impact while reinforcing the empowered sensibility of the Fendi woman.
Overall, the collection is designed with influential, elegant women in mind, transforming everyday femininity into hyperluxurious terrain. It successfully conveys its intent, enriching wardrobes with pieces that promise to stand the test of time and show strong women off at their best.