FENDI Haute Couture SS24: A Human Futurism

Moving away from costume and embracing pragmatism, Kim Jones recalls Karl Lagerfeld’s own futurism at Fendi.

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FENDI presented its latest Haute Couture show under the artistic direction of Kim Jones, who has woven a futuristic narrative inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s vision. Jones, at the helm of FENDI Haute Couture and Ready to Wear for women, dives into a poetic dialogue between futurism and reality, taking fashion to new heights of sophistication and pragmatism.

The artistic director shares his inspiration for the collection: “I was thinking of Karl Lagerfeld’s futurism with FENDI. In the collection there is a humanism at the center of this future; there is the body, the silhouette within the silhouette, the person and the craftsmanship of haute couture. The collection is about structure and decoration, where the two become inseparable. I was looking for the idea of precision and emotion at the same time”.

Thus, he enters a terrain where geometric simplicity and the primary attraction of the crocodile converge in a “human futurism”. From the new “Scatola” silhouette to the meticulous geometric cut in fabrics such as silk gazar, the collection is an amalgam of structure and minimalist ornamentation. FENDI’s focus is on reaffirming the humanity of those who wear Haute Couture, always highlighting “someone” rather than “something.”

From the plethora of embroidery to the surprising fusion of the natural and artificial world, the collection stands as a future skin. Embroidery that mimics the look of feathers, organic in form and ultra-lightweight, intertwines with the wearer, creating a seamless connection between decoration and structure.

The notion of functionality extends to fine jewelry, with the “Singular Vision” eyewear designed by Delfina Delettrez Fendi. Custom-scanned with 18-karat white gold frames and white diamonds, these glasses are more than just an accessory; they are a masterpiece of engineering. Baguette bags, treated as sumptuous and personal objects, follow the same philosophy of the collection. From the nano to the large, each bag reflects the master craftsmanship of FENDI’s workshops, using materials ranging from supple crocodile to flowing, fringed embroidery.

The collaboration between Kim Jones and composer Max Richter manifests itself in the fashion show’s score, resonating with the idea of “precision and emotion.” FENDI has created a sensory experience that fuses past, present and future in an ongoing dialogue between structure and sophistication.