For Kim Jones, this season’s inspiration hit when Delfina Delettrez, renowned jeweller and fourth-generation Fendi, walked into the Roman headquarters “dressed in a printed blouse stolen from her mother’s [Silvia Venturini Fendi] wardrobe.” 

Seeing this cross-generational wardrobe passed down from Fendi to Fendi literally walk straight up to him, Jones landed on his FW22 M.O.: “It’s a wardrobe designed for every aspect of a woman’s life, for every generation.”

Specifically, the designer plucked two collections from the family archive: fusing SS86’s celebration of the Memphis movement’s geometric vocabulary with the ethereal lightness of FW00. Citing two moments relevant to now, Jones filtered these through his own progressive, sensual vision to create a tapestry through Fendi lore. 

Inside a venue fitted with archways that resembled a ribcage, a bass track heartbeat pulsed and we were more than alive. Senses on high alert, Jones played to the room, blending lush chiffon, cashmere and fur with precise, angular tailoring and abstract, pastel shapes synonymous with the Italian Memphis movement. Tailoring was cropped and spliced to create new dimensions as sheer nude slip-dresses adorned with frills and trimming danced around the body like soulful vibrations, paired with knitted opera gloves. Shirting fused with corset shapes and a sense of utility was in-built: blazers detached into gilets and pocketed belts were pocketed to carry phones.

Emphasising that Fendi means family, Silvia Venturini Fendi designed all the accessories, including three reimagined Baguette classics marking the signature bag’s 25th anniversary, and her daughter Delfina was the gilded mastermind behind those incredible monogrammed ear cuffs. “What interests me the most about fashion is when it isn’t something just for the moment,” said Silvia of the collection, “There is always a story behind each piece, something a little different.” Welcome to the family, Kim.