Kim Jones Talks Her Most 'Heavenly And Space' Collection To Date

Kim Jones, in charge of Fendi, was in charge of putting an end to Haute Couture Week in Paris for Spring /Summer 2022. In his most recent collection, inspired by the world of science fiction, the creative director blended the firm's ancient legacy and futuristic spirit, as well as its undoubted Roman DNA.

The show took place in La Bourse, inside a black box filled with illuminated fragments of ancient Roman arches that hung from the ceiling. Likewise, we saw elegant evening dresses with hand-painted Roman images, as well as magnificent velvet dresses accompanied by the incredible handmade jewelry by Delfina Delettrez.

Here Vogue fashion critic Anders Christian Madsen had the chance to talk to designer Kim Jones about this show:

How did Fendi's hometown inspire you when designing this collection?

‘For me, Rome has so many layers. It is a very old city. We are always thinking about the past, present and future. We thought about the idea of ​​different times and that very spiritual side of Rome, which makes it a heavenly, almost spatial place.

Is this a sci-fi notion of the very old versus the futuristic?

‘Yes, because that is what makes Rome unique, from my point of view. Just think of those people who just rummage through their yard and find these objects from hundreds of years ago, and then start building new buildings on top of it. Our offices, the area that it's located in, is very sci-fi'.

What made you think about space?

‘The ideal of the future and what is happening in the world. I've been reading and watching a lot of sci-fi content recently. I read 'Dune', because I rewatched the movie and wanted to remember what the book said. As well as the book 'Star Wars' by George Lucas. I have all this stuff from [Alejandro] Jodorowsky that he did on Dune; the book he made about it.

And how does it manifest itself?

'It comes from this idea of ​​women coming out and becoming powerful warrior emperors but in an almost ghostly way. We wanted the shapes to be very long and tall this season. This comes from this idea that when people saw emperors and empresses, they were always on top.

What did you have in mind when selecting the models?

'We only wanted to have very tall girls. That's what we were looking for. And some of those Fendi faces we love to work with.

Was the collection based on evening dresses?

'There is some tailoring, but we thought it would be really cool to create something fancy this season, because that's what people want in case women Things start to go back to normal. I have always been aware that we are not the only place in Rome that offers haute couture, so we want to make sure that we are a different voice in the city.

Is it about realism or more about escapism?

‘Right now, the world of Haute Couture is a strange thing, next to what is happening in the world. Clients can't see it, so everything is sent to them. It is something very close to fantasy. It is about showing the techniques and mastery that are not seen in a ready-to-wear show. Ready-to-wear is very ready-to-wear and it's good to mix that up. Here it is more about showing techniques that come from Fendi and working with them. The little dress that Lila wore is a best-seller. It's interesting to see what people buy.

Where in the world do you get attention from?

‘America is huge, and Russia is huge. We also receive great demand for wedding dresses. At both Fendi and Dior, I love meeting the big customers who buy a lot and seeing what interests them. That helps you know what to do, because it feels great to spoil them.

How have clients responded to your couture style?

‘The first show did very well. The second collection is still on sale, because it travels all over the world, since people can't travel to see it in person. There are new clients and there are old ones, as well as different ones. People contact us in different ways. The sales have been really crazy, so we enjoyed being able to do it.

Would you like to go to space?

'I've always wanted to go to space, but then I don't like the idea of ​​those things burning up in the atmosphere. It's not the way I'd like to go.

Are you friends with any of these billionaires who are racing into space?

'Yeah, I know a couple of them. I'm not going to lie to you. But I would like you to try a little more first.

Article originally published in Vogue UK, vogue.co.uk.