Futurism simmered beneath the surface of some recent fall men's shows (at Acne Studios, Kenzo and Rick Owens, for example) and emerged in all its silvery elegance on the Fendi couture runway on Thursday.
Artistic director Kim Jones, who frequently draws inspiration from Karl Lagerfeld's epic tenure at the Roman house, settled on the late German designer's penchant for always looking forward, far ahead.
“It's a little spacey,” Jones said of his spring couture during a preview, also confessing that he's a big “Star Wars” fan. “I have a room in my house, a hobby room, where I have all the toys still in their original packaging.”
Front-row guest Zendaya, star of the upcoming movie “Dune 2,” would be spoiled for choice if she chooses to wear Fendi couture to the press tour and premiere events.
The statuesque star would surely look regal in Jones' pale off-the-shoulder dresses with geometric trains, or her sinuous column dresses with metallic surfaces, or “starry night” embroidery on gradient chiffon.
Streamlined, slicked-back hairstyles and radical diamond-encrusted glasses falling over cheekbones and nose enhanced the sci-fi feel, as did Max Richter's soundtrack of yearning electronic drones.
But the clothes were pragmatic, as Jones seeks input from the stylish women orbiting around him, including Silvia Venturini Fendi and her daughter Delfina Delettrez Fendi, who respectively contributed an array of custom-made Baguette bags and those sunglasses futuristic Thelios, considered fine jewelry. and retail in the stadium of 30,000 euros.
Jones also cited a recent increase in requests for red carpet couture, “so I'm thinking about all the different people who do that.” He conceived silvery, alien-style silhouettes embroidered on the front of austere column dresses.
“It's like giving yourself an optical illusion, because a lot of people feel uncomfortable on the red carpet, so it's kind of a distraction,” she explained.
Viewed on a screen, these garments may seem extremely simple given the simple cuts, but they were meticulously made: the strapless “box” dress that closed the show, paved with small tube-shaped silver beads, looked as simple as gazar of silk that opened it.
While the surface treatments were sometimes intricate, including hairy, tinsel-like surfaces, the fabrics primarily conveyed delicacy and softness, including dresses of ribbed woven vicuña or supple crocodile.
“There is a lot of noisy couture. I like discreet, wearable couture, which is what we sell a lot of,” Jones said.
The biggest event in Fendi's near future is the centenary celebrations in June 2025, and Jones said he and members of the Fendi family hope to nail down all the elements soon.
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