Fendace: an iconic historic event with the collaboration of the two major fashion houses- Fendi and Versace. For the star studded members of the fashion community it is an emotional day with the passing of Karl Lagerfeld having only occurred a few years ago. He who has really transformed Fendi a global brand after he was named creative director in 1964. “Donatella doesn’t open up Gianni’s house to many people” quoted by Naomi Campbell, “its something that hasn’t been done before and I hope now that maybe it will change our industry to open up and share with each other.” Kim Jones as the glue with his famous sixth sense yet, many newcomers in the industry seem to think the ball was dropped on this one. Sharing and exchanging works from some of the most iconic moments in fashion often requires a fresh take which can comment on the trends apparent in today’s age.
Fendi’s Kim Jones isn’t a stranger to creative collaborations especially in the world of utility fashion. His work has turned heads as the head of Dior previously. He has collaborated with the American artist Brian Donnelly’s “Kaws” to create an infamous show with “Kaws’s” best friend character created out of pale pink roses in head to toe Dior. As a designer at Fendi, Kim hasn’t really had the chance to put his mark on their work so the vision for the brand is lost on this collection. Gianni’s Versace on the other hand has had a rich heritage which Donatella has dared not disturb over the years even with her decades of experience. The show was dubbed a “swap” and Kim Jones designed a Versace women’s collection, Venturini Fendi for both women and menswear while Versace created a Fendi collection for both women and menswear. As if the Fendace cross pollination wasn’t confusing enough, we are presented with yet again a myriad of logo mania looks without any new innovation or real modification of iconic pieces. The show almost looked like a counterfeit version of either-or with big Versace Greek monograms over flamboyant prints and the conversion of the Fendi logo to fit as the Versace key. Fendi’s subtle image is lost in the Italian decadence which seems to be the theme here. With subversive basics and sheer trends being in this season, they seemed to have missed the mark. The last thing the fashion industry needed was more baguettes and scarves dripped in logos. It almost seems like an ultimate nail in the coffin for the logo mania trend. Aesthetics aside, the companies’ interests were taken into question. The amount of money poured into this amalgamation after the year we have had as a world seems to have brought a lot of people to reactions of disgust. The outcome didn’t gift us with fresh work and it seems as though the consideration to collaborate with new young designers is completely lost at these powerhouses.
A marketing exercise, gaudy clothes and a very literal ‘swap’; Fendace will nonetheless be remembered as a fashion moment in the sartorial history books.
