It is a rediscovery of Antonio Lopez's work as an illustrator and his role as discoverer and enhancer of female beauties and talents such as Jerry Hall, Pat Cleveland, Bianca Jagger, Grace Jones, the Fendi collection designed by Kim Jones, the first on the catwalk at Milan after the restrictions due to Covid.
It is not only a dip in the era of Studio 54 and a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, who was a friend of Lopez enough to host him and his crew in Paris, but also the celebration of an 'empowered' femininity, as Jones defines it.
"This is my first live show for Fendi and it is a celebration - says the creative director - our woman wants to go out and get dressed. We have all been locked up for so long that this is what I think we need now" .
And they are women ready to move from the dancefloor to the world: "my Fendi is multi-generational - continues Jones - it is for many different types of women, who want to feel good about themselves. The Lopez woman and the Fendi woman are 'empowered' ".
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The Fendi fashion show at Milan Fashion Week - Lifestyle
It all started with a hand-sketched logo found in the archives: "while I was looking for Karl's legacy in the maison, I was also interested in investigating what was around him and what he was passionate about - says Jones - Lopez was a friend of his and also someone which has always inspired me. He was far-sighted, inclusive, respected by everyone from Andy Warhol to Steven Meisel and David Hockney. I wanted to introduce him to a new generation. " And so, in collaboration with The Estate and Archive of Antonio Lopez and Juan Ramos, the work of the artist - who for three decades, from the 60s to the 80s, worked for Vogue, the New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, the magazine of Andy Warhol The Interview, Karl Lagerfeld himself, Versace, Missoni and many others - became an integral part of the collection.Brush strokes decorate the cream-colored caftans and silk shirts worn with wide trousers, while the more figurative designs become inlays on leather or sparkling jacquards and even go so far as to decorate bags like the Peekaboo. Minidresses and over-the-knee boots alternate with hollowed-out blazers, printed silk dresses worn with trousers, shorts and micro-jackets, maxi furs and long strapless pieces with Lopez designs.