The 51-year-old British designer, however, will continue as artistic director of Dior Men’s collections, which share the same parent company, LVMH.
Farewells—and hellos—have been far too common in the fashion world as of late.
In just four months, we saw Chanel bid goodbye to Virginie Viard, while Lanvin welcomed Peter Copping soon after. In July, Burberry axed its CEO Jonathan Akeroyd following dismal numbers. Earlier this October, Hedi Slimane exited Celine as Michael Rider took on his role.
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A few days ago, Fendi decided to join this (most fashionable) game of musical chairs with the departure of Kim Jones. The 51-year-old served as the Italian luxury fashion house’s creative director for four years since 2020, taking on the coveted post from Karl Lagerfeld who passed away in 2019. Prior to his stint at Fendi, he was the men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton from 2011 to 2018, before moving on to Dior Homme and adding Fendi to his CV in 2020.
A statement from LVMH said: “Kim Jones made significant contributions to the brand’s creative legacy, seamlessly integrating his modern and cross-cultural aesthetics with Fendi’s historical heritage. LVMH chairman and CEO, Bernard Arnault, added to the sentiment, calling Jones “a highly talented designer who has brought his unique and multicultural vision to Fendi over the past four years.” Fendi and its parent group thanked Jones for his contributions, adding that a new creative structure would be announced soon.
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Jones, however, will continue as artistic director of Dior Men’s collections which share the same parent company.
The British designer is credited for fusing his own contemporary vision with Lagerfeld’s distinct looks as well as the timeless aesthetic of Fendi, which is now amid a flurry of preparations for its centenary in 2025. With the late Lagerfeld’s vision, as well as Jones’, Fendi continues to thrive and be relevant amid an ever-fluid fashion industry.
During his tenure at the atelier, he worked closely with key figures at the fashion house such as Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and men’s wear collections, as well as her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, the brand’s jewelry creative director and Jones’ muse.
Despite Jones’ relative inexperience with womenswear prior to taking on the job at Fendi, his time there is widely considered successful. He designed the haute couture, ready-to-wear, and fur collections for women, often paying homage to his legendary predecessor’s legacy.
He also honored the brand’s dedication to “fun fur,” while staying apace with sustainability trends by introducing more ethical and eco-friendly alternatives and practices to the house. His clothing may have never made major waves, but his shows got consistently good reviews, and his couture designs were red carpet favorites worn by A-listers.
Under his leadership, he mounted major collaborations, such as the “Fendace” project with Versace in 2021 and a collaboration with Marc Jacobs in 2022. During his tenure, Fendi reportedly saw its revenues nearly triple to over €2 billion, a result that reflects the pragmatic and sales-driven approach Jones has taken.
With Jones’ exit, the fashion world is once again rife with gossip. After Alessandro Michele’s and Sarah Burton’s arrival at Valentino and Givenchy, respectively, the rumor mill has it that Kim Jones’ departure from Fendi could pave the way for Pierpaolo Piccioli or John Galliano — with the latter rumored to be leaving Maison Margiela this month.
As said previously, Fendi is on the brink of its 100th anniversary. Many expected Jones to oversee the celebrations, but now that mammoth task will fall on someone else’s hands. Who will it be? Whispers have it that it could be Fendi’s Silvia and Delfina or maybe Piccioli. We’ll soon find out, I suppose. For now, one thing’s for sure, Fendi joins the ranks of al least seven brands who will welcome the new year with a new designer at the helm: Celine, Givenchy (now with Sarah Burton as creative director), Tom Ford (Haider Ackermann), Lanvin, Calvin Klein (Veronica Leoni), Chanel, and Fendi.
Looks like the game of musical chairs is far from over. And we’re watching with bated breath to see what happens next.
