Fendi designer Kim Jones kicks off Milan Fashion Week in a big way
"What is particularly interesting to me about Fendi is exploring the notion of functional utility alongside femininity – because Fendi women are strong women with full, busy lives,'' Jones said in show notes.
Fendi SS2023 at Milan Fashion Week. (Photo: AP)
Fendi womenswear designer Kim Jones stripped the usually luxe Fendi showroom down to polished concrete floors and painted steel beams and bleachers to show his next warm weather collection.
He saved the luxe for the runway looks. The Spring-Summer 2023 collection was a studied balance of construction, texture and colour.
Aprons tied askew in satin created a flowing layer over trousers, while perforated leather versions were like jumpers over sheer dresses.
Layering was key to the styling. Jones played with texture, paring an asymmetrical nubby wool coat over a sheer top, both in neutrals, saving the eye-popping colour for the platform boots. Silken dresses were draped and tied to the form, and carefully constructed satiny coats had peek-a-boo slits and were tied elegantly in the back, like an elaborate Japanese bow.
The silhouette encompassed body-hugging ribbed knitwear dresses with demure slits to flowing asymmetrical silken dresses. Square-necked ribbed cardigans gave a scholastic accent to skirts with deep, sexy slits on each side, or silken trousers with utility pockets with trailing pocket closures.
Neutrals in sage, copper and white anchored the colour palette, which exploded with accent pieces in cream-infused versions of seafoam green, cornflower blue, tangerine and flamingo pink.
The final look underlined the simple elegance of Jones’ propositions: A racing-back tank tucked into white trousers softened by this season's apron-half skirt – all in the silkiest white.
"What is particularly interesting to me about Fendi is exploring the notion of functional utility alongside femininity – because Fendi women are strong women with full, busy lives,'' Jones said in show notes.
Fendi’s tiniest bag yet was worn on a chain around the neck. Logos were subtle: Knit into the inside hem of sweaters and visible only if twisted upward, or with the double-F logo on linings or emblazoned as if initials on the back of Jones' new bowed Obi belt.
Footwear featured colourful platform boots or sliders. Jones is moving the brand away from its heritage fur and focusing instead on Silvia Venturini Fendi’s handbags, which use shiny leather, canvas and shearling.
