Kim Jones, the British designer who has been at the helm of FENDI‘s womenswear and couture since 2020, is stepping down from his role at the Roman fashion house. Jones will continue to serve as artistic director of menswear at DIOR, a position he has held since 2018. The news was announced in a joint statement from Jones and FENDI, which said that a new creative configuration for FENDI would be announced “in due time.“
During his four-year tenure at FENDI, Jones brought a modern and cross-cultural aesthetic to the brand, seamlessly integrating his vision with FENDI’s historical heritage. Under his leadership, the brand reinvented its ready-to-wear and couture collections, offering an inclusive and innovative approach to fashion that constantly renewed FENDI’s Italian codes.
Jones’ departure from FENDI is the latest in a series of high-profile designer changes in the fashion industry. The news comes amid a slowdown in luxury consumption and consumer caution that has led to creative upheaval in the sector. As previously reported, the contracts of several top designers, including John Galliano at Maison Margiela, Jonathan Anderson at Loewe, and Lucie and Luke Meier at Jil Sander, are due to expire later this year or in early 2025.
Jones’ decision to focus on his role at DIOR Men is likely to dampen speculation that LVMH’s designer shake-up will soon extend to Christian Dior. The designer has built a reputation as one of the leading voices in luxury menswear, and his continued presence at DIOR is expected to bring stability to the brand.
During his time at FENDI, Jones frequently referenced the brand’s heritage, including the designs of Karl Lagerfeld, who famously created furs and women’s ready-to-wear for the Roman house from 1965 until his death in 2019. Jones also worked closely with Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and menswear collections, and her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, creative director of jewelry, whom he considered an important muse.
Jones’ collections for FENDI were known for their sophisticated, globetrotting aesthetic, which fused royal tailoring with signatures of streetwear culture. The designer also enriched the collections by collaborating with artists ranging from hypebeast names like Kaws to Judy Blake and Hylton Nel.
The designer’s decision to leave FENDI is not entirely surprising, given the challenges he faced in adapting to the brand’s womenswear division. Despite his success in menswear, Jones’ collections for FENDI received mostly positive, though hardly ecstatic, reviews. Some LVMH insiders took a dim view of some of his projects at FENDI, and the brand’s sales have slowed in recent years.
Kim Jones’ departure from FENDI marks the end of an era for the brand, which had been trying to launch a new cycle of growth after the shocks of the Covid-19 lockdowns and the death of Karl Lagerfeld in 2019. The brand’s new creative configuration is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the brand’s designs and help revive its sales.
In the meantime, Jones will continue to focus on his role at DIOR, where he has established a reputation as one of the leading voices in luxury menswear. The designer’s continued presence at DIOR is expected to bring stability to the brand, and his sophisticated, globetrotting aesthetic is likely to continue to inspire fashion.