Fendi x Versace: Everything to Know About Milan Fashion Week’s Worst Kept Secret
Fendi x Versace: Everything to Know About Milan Fashion Week’s Worst Kept Secret
By: Addie Flasck
In the days leading up to Milan Fashion Week, unofficial rumors that designers Donatella Versace and Kim Jones were cooking up something big swirled amongst fashion journalists. Last week, the show at the Versace family palazzo came to a close, and lo and behold, the conjecture was confirmed. Fashion houses Fendi and Versace joined forces to unveil two “surprise” collections in which Versace and Jones designed their own takes on each other’s signature pieces. But do not call it a collaboration! The creative directors have been careful to designate this design experiment as a “swap,” one that goes by the name “Fendace.”
“It’s the first in the history of fashion,” said Versace (in a bit of an overstatement), that “two designers having a true creative dialogue that stems from respect and friendship.”
Though the debut was certainly something entirely new in the Versace courtyard, the swap conjures memories of the Gucci and Balenciaga “hack” that was held earlier this year to cap off Gucci’s centennial anniversary. Remember the revision of Gwyneth Paltrow’s iconic red velvet suit?
The hack poses a formidable match, especially for 41-year-old Jones, who was announced creative director of Fendi just last year and is accustomed to his original territory in the menswear sector of the fashion industry. His designs appeared as the first 25 looks of the show and took the approach of reviving the 90s Versace Era. The collection was cause for chatter, particularly regarding the reimagining of the Versace Greek key motif, which was seemingly stamped onto, well, everything. It came as no surprise; logomania is a large part of Fendi’s brand DNA, for better or for worse. Overall, Versace by Fendi was anything but the “haute couture'' we are familiar with seeing on runways. Traditional sartorial elegance was traded for something more giddy, playful, and rowdy, all adjectives that definitely have a place within the current trend cycle.
For the second segment, the show was turned over to Versace, who designed the last 25 looks by incorporating similar glam-punk elements. Her take on Fendi included everything from chunky gold jewelry, chainmail, safety pins, lots of lace, and an exceptionally notable Medusa baguette bag. Oh, and do not think we did not notice the Donatella wigs.
As if the looks alone were not enough to fuel a media frenzy, the show also included a mind-blowing cast that would seem chimeric for anything other than Fendace. The presentation was star-studded with supermodel legends including Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid, Amber Valletta, and none other than Naomi Campbell to close out the runway.
While the swap was a one-night-only event, it seems apparent that Fendace is one label mashup that is not leaving the fashion week conversation anytime soon, especially considering it entered the talk before the swap was even announced.
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