Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the Fendi Fall/Winter 2021 Couture offering. While Kim Jones’ couture debut for Fendi saw him turn to the English Bloomsbury Group for inspiration, Fendi Fall/Winter 2021 Couture settles in the Eternal City, exploring Rome through the eyes of filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.
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Drawing upon the work of Roman film director Pier Paolo Pasolini, the supermodel-laden short film seamlessly weaves elements of Rome’s history into a contemporary context, with Paolini’s perspective on reality reflected throughout. “Rome is a fascinating city because it has so many pasts – and I was drawn to Pasolini because I have always been inspired by his vision of the world,” explains Kim Jones, creative director of womenswear at Fendi. “He is something of an outsider in Roman history, but one whose voice remains constant.”
Past and present intertwine in Fendi Fall/Winter 2021 Couture, with pieces that reanimate antique garments, with Roman mosaic expressed in Mother of Pearl throughout jackets, knitwear, handbags, and shoes. The intricate marble drapery of the Roman statues surrounding the Fendi Palazzo is sartorially reflected through trompe l’oeil silks, while the arches they inhabit are adapted into the heels of shoes. Ethereal silk jacquards inset with embroidery and crystal beading poetically recall the past, while tailored suits and strong outerwear balance out the collection.
The eternal allure of Italian stonework appears throughout the Fendi Fall/Winter 2021 Couture collection, with Pietra dura inlays reimagined in supple leather intarsia and pressed leather pleats working to capture the beauty of Bernini’s sculptures. Jewellery takes on a literal approach; hand-carved from Italian marble in a way that ripples with movement, alluding to a moment frozen in time.
Watch the short film above and view all the looks below.
Words by Theo Rosen
