A Glimmer of a Brighter Tomorrow: Fendi’s Futuristic Elegance
Review of Fendi Spring 2024 Couture Fashion Show
By Lizzy Bowring
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Kim Jones is a reflective and thoughtful creative, a quality that exudes from each collection he creates for Couture. This Spring 2024 collection is a masterful blend of simplicity and elegance, focusing on the synergy between fabric and body; it embodies a core of humanism intertwined with futuristic elements, a celebration of the human form, exploring the depth of the silhouette, and emphasizing the female shape as well as highlighting the meticulous craftsmanship inherent from the Fendi atelier. At its essence, this collection represents a fusion of structural integrity and ornamental beauty, seamlessly merging to become one – capturing both precision and sentiment in a single, harmonious expression.
The resulting creations were understated yet profound, often resonating with deeper significance. The most captivating aspects were found in the fabric choices, each meticulously adorned with intricate embellishments that added a nuanced complexity. The sparkling and iridescent surfaces were beautifully subtle yet gave weight to this elegant futuristic ambiance. And those out-of-this-world eyewear pieces lent an even further cosmic appeal.
Jones’s pragmatic approach seamlessly blends poetry with reality. The tailoring was perfect, particularly seen in the opening pieces that were a nod to daywear, something Jones has not truly incorporated into haute couture; rather, the focus has been on those stunning columnar dresses. Yet the juxtaposition between the hard and the textured worked in tandem and was equally as captivating. It’s a tribute to the skilled artisans at Fendi, each contributing to the embodiment of his vision.
The designs pivot around the new ‘Scatola’ silhouette, translating to ‘box,’ and explore the boundaries of geometry, structure, and lightness, yet still with unabashed movement and transparency. Materials like silk gazar, super kid mohair, cashmere, vicuna yarns, and the striking use of crocodile skin speak volumes about Fendi’s craftsmanship. Notably, the integration of ‘Shibari’ harnesses into rib knit dresses exemplifies a unique blend of constraint and freedom – the movement of the body at one with fabric. The sparkling embroideries acted as a futuristic skin, a hybrid of natural and artificial textures, creating an illusion of a second, more intricate layer of the human form.
THE BUZZWORDS
Futurist, sparkling, lustrous sheen, tailoring, draping, columnar, Plush textures
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look # 3
The beauty of this silhouette speaks as much to the tailoring as it does to the fluidity of form, yet it also speaks to the craftsmanship at Fendi – there is poetry in motion between the hard and the exquisite textured material, allowing a virtual exploration of the boundaries of geometry, structure, and lightness.
THE DIRECTION
THE QUOTE
“I was thinking about Karl Lagerfeld’s futurism with FENDI. In the collection there is a humanism at the heart of this future; there’s the body, the silhouette within the silhouette, the person and the handwork of the couture. The collection is about structure and decoration, where the two become indivisible. I wanted an idea of precision and emotion at once.”
– Kim Jones
THE WRAP UP
On first impression, this collection may appear understated; however, closer examination reveals the meticulous craftsmanship behind each piece – and isn’t that the beauty of Couture? The strapless “box” dress that concluded the show, adorned with tiny, tube-shaped silver beads, and the silk gazar dress that opened the show perfectly exemplify this deceptive simplicity.
The progression from minimalistic black silhouettes and intricate tailoring to stunning silver metallic looks underlines Fendi’s expertise in balancing subtlety with complexity. The emphasis on the synergy between fabric and body, along with the collection’s ability to convey a futuristic yet feminine aesthetic in a celebration of the human form – exploring the depth of the “silhouette within each silhouette” – and emphasizing the individual showcases the meticulous craftsmanship inherent in Couture. At its essence, this collection represents a fusion of structural integrity and ornamental beauty, seamlessly merging to become one. It’s a celebration of the human form, blending the past and future into a cohesive narrative of fashion and artistry.
