Kim Jones adores the fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez and, thus he decided to celebrate his work, reproducing it on dresses, bags, and coats.

The multifaceted fashion designer, Kim Jones, presented Fendi’s Spring/Summer 2022 Womenswear show on the opening day of Milan Fashion Week. Kim got inspired in the disco-era and took the idea to the runway, which conjured up glittering disco balls, writhing bodies and vibrating bass. The event took place under archways reminiscent of the house’s Roman home, the Palazzo Della Civiltà, and between columns made of mirror, the scene was unmistakably Fendi. The brand proposed plenty of muted colours and chic trouser suits, matching the joyful mood of the disco era with a modern attitude to the designs down the catwalk.

The house described it as “a joyful exploration of Fendi’s signature irreverence, offering a modern perspective on disco-age glamour brimming with powerful, effortless femininity”. Experimenting with the traditional intarsia technique, Fendi created stunning graphic patterns and showcased a contemporary reinvention of the brand’s signature savoir-faire.

Kim Jones could perfectly and beautifully balance the signature Fendi style codes with a powerful vision of modernity. “Our woman has let loose a bit – she’s going out, dressing up. We’ve all been locked away for so long that’s what we all need right now.” Kim Jones said.

The fashion designer loves the work of fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez, a longtime friend and collaborator of the late Karl Lagerfeld. “He was a big, big fashion influencer for a lot of people, but is not so talked about,” Jones said of Lopez. “He had this relationship with Karl and with Fendi, and he helped shape so many strong visions of women because he loved them: that feels very authentic and topical.”

Jones didn’t just take inspiration from Lopez’s work – he reimagined the ‘fashion illustrator’ work as exaggerated brushstrokes on kaftans and silk shirts, as well as taking his drawings and turning them into intarsia leather thigh-highs and intricately engineered lace.

Silvia Venturini Fendi and her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi took part in the event as the creative and artistic director of accessories and men’s wear collections for the show.