This Milan fashion week brought about one of the most innovative fashion shows that I can think of. The houses of Versace and Fendi joined forces to create a collection titled “Fendace.”
Versace and Fendi are heritage houses in Italy, each carrying a legacy that is deep and integral to Italian history and culture. Both houses have a very distinct style and logo that can be recognized by people who have no interest in fashion. In this particular show, the house sought to explore this concept by having the creative director of each house design for the other brand.
Donatella Versace has been the creative director of the Versace brand since her brother’s passing in 1997 and designed iconic pieces that have defined the Versace brand for the modern era. With over 20 years of designing for the brand, she has a very clear vision and statement to convey, and this was evident in the way she designed for Fendi. On the Fendi side, we have Kim Jones, who became the creative director in 2019 and is still figuring out his unique take on the brand.
Both Versace and Fendi are known for the “logomania” they cause and the importance their logos play. Jones and Versace both understood this and incorporated it into their respective collections, while also bringing in their traditional prints and motifs.
Even though this was not a competition and more like a mentor and mentee honoring each other’s works, it was evident that Versace “won.” Her Fendi collection was “Truly Fendi by Versace,” while the Jones’ Versace collection was “Versace designed by Kim Jones.” The strong Versace silhouettes and styles engulfed Fendi and incorporated the Fendi logos and prints in a very Versace fashion. Naomi Campbell’s mauve Fendi gown reminded me of Kim Kardashian’s 2018 Met Gala look, but none of the Versace looks reminded me of Fendi. All the Versace by Fendi pieces were so incredibly “Versace,” it did not feel like Fendi was part of it all. Of course, this makes sense because Donatella has been designing for Versace for over two decades and has really honed in on her signature style while Kim Jones is still working on finding his footing.
Another incredible part of this show was all the models that descended onto the runway to showcase the collections. We had iconic supermodels such as Naomi Cambell, Kate Moss, Shalom Harlow and Amber Valletta, as well as modern-day supermodels such as Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Paloma Elesser and Adut Akeech.
Donatella said that “It is a first in the history of the fashion: two designers having a true creative dialogue that stems from respect and friendship,” and she is absolutely right. I hope to see more designers come together to create collections such as these because it celebrates designers having healthy relationships rather than toxic ones. At the end of the day, collaboration is what propels us to more innovation and creation.
