Kim Jones Named As Karl Lagerfeld's Successor at Fendi
Almost two years after Karl Lagerfeld passed away, Fendi, the fashion house helmed by the icon for 54 years, has officially named his replacement. Kim Jones, the artistic director of Dior Homme, will take on an additional role as the artistic director of Fendi womenswear. Jones' first collection will be ready-to-wear, shown during the Fall/Winter 2021-2022 Fashion Week in February. He will join Silvia Venturini Fendi, a third-generation designer of the brand's menswear and accessories.
In a statement to Business of Fashion, Bernard Arnault, Chairman, and CEO of LVMH (the company that owns Fendi and Dior), said that Jones “has continuously proven his ability to adapt to the codes and heritage of the LVMH houses while revisiting them with great modernity and audacity."
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Jones has had a long career up to this point. In 2002, his graduate collection was purchased by John Galliano. Following that, he debuted his eponymous label at London Fashion Week in 2003, quickly becoming a London designer du jour.
In 2011, Jones became the style director at Louis Vuitton, where he helped launch the brand into its modern era. In 2017, not only was he responsible for the wildly successful Supreme X Louis Vuitton collection, he even dropped a single with Drake called "Signs," which was written for the LV show after he sent the rapper pictures of the collection. His final show for the brand included a finale walk with Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell on his arm.
In 2018, Jones joined Dior Homme and will remain there while working at Fendi.
Though he's won several industry awards such as the Menswear Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council, Jones is also beloved by his many celebrity fans that include the likes of Robert Pattison and David Beckham.
