It was one of the most highly-anticipated shows not just of Milan Fashion Week, but on the entire autumn/winter 2021 schedule and today we finally got to see Kim Jones’ debut womenswear ready-to-wear collection for Fendi.
This comes hot on the heels of last month’s haute couture show, where Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Demi Moor took to the catwalk. If that collection, which took Virginia Woolf’s Orlando as its jumping off point, had a poetic, dreamlike quality to it – imperious capes that demand to drama, dresses made for the red carpet; fantasy in the very essence of couture craftsmanship – the ready-to-wear outing was rooted in reality, albeit seen through a meticulous, ultra-luxe lens.
![fendi catwalk kim jones debut aw21 ribbed knit separates](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6036/8bfd/1852/5a5c/d499/217b/40_FENDI_WOMEN_FW_21_22.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Showing reverence for the house he is now helping to steer, coupled with a relevant assertion about what women want to wear now, for AW21 Jones was inspired by the wardrobes of the five Fendi sisters. ‘I’m taking the amazing, strong women who I both know and work with, and listening to their needs,’ said Jones in the show notes. ‘There’s a usefulness to the collection, explored in a chic, timeless way’.
The question of what we will want to wear next is currently at the forefront of designers’ minds. So far, the AW21 collections have revealed they are grappling with two different approaches, both of them enticing in distinctly different ways. On the one hand, there is the school of thought that there will be no turning back from elasticated waistbands, translated into an unapologetic leaning into comfort; on the other, there are those who are heralding a return to the joy of dressing up to go out and stay out. What some of the most successful collections – like Proenza Schouler in New York – are doing, however, is positing the idea that we will want both.
![fendi catwalk kim jones debut aw21 tied shirt pencil skirt](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6036/8c1b/4098/7fee/937e/d506/41_FENDI_WOMEN_FW_21_22.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
It’s this have-it-all approach which Jones embraced today. Ribbed knit separates – like a cropped top and high-waisted pencil skirt, fluid handkerchief dresses, and sumptuous floor-trailing coats all in a luxurious (yet, crucially, wearable) palette of browns, white and black, exuded elegance as much as they did ease. With their extra-long sleeves and rounded shoulders, these clothes swaddle and waft' they don't cling and restrict. There were nods to sophisticated sexiness too, one which was soft and quietly alluring rather than tight and obvious, achieved via shirting that fell nonchalantly off one shoulder, slivers of midriff and slinky, spaghetti strapped slips.
For those of us who have missed the opportunity to accessorise (well, aside from Zoom earrings) this year, Jones also has that covered. What could say welcome back to the real world better than a pair of architectural heels, the new Fendi First clutch bag or the Delfina Delettrez Fendi designed Fendi O’Lock jewellery collection which interspersed the house logo with tough luxe padlocks? The logo tights, meanwhile, are sure to be Instagram catnip come next season (welcome back waist-down dressing). And, of course, there will always be room for the Baguette in anyone’s wardrobe. This time, they were reimagined by craftspeople from each of Italy’s 20 regions.
![fendi catwalk kim jones debut aw21 silk dress](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6036/8c84/e176/d01a/c420/c739/30_FENDI_WOMEN_FW_21_22.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
When a collection is described as ‘optimistic’ it usually brings to mind imagines of rainbow colours and loud prints. But there was something quietly joyful, liberating about Jones’s coupling of functionality and glamour, practicality and precision. These are clothes made to be worn – and made to be seen. What could be more optimistic than that?
SEE: The Highlights From Milan Fashion Week AW21
![Furla](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/604f/556a/d0cb/1ccb/cd7a/ae47/furla.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Furla
At Milan Fashion Week, Furla launched the third chapter of its digital series, #FurlaIllusions, designed to showcase the highlights of its new see-now-buy-now collection. This elegant satchel, the Portagioia, is on our spring wish list.
![Onitsuka Tiger](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603f/79ac/4098/7f82/5d7f/285e/onitsuka%20tiger.png?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Onitsuka Tiger
For AW21, Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger, under the creative directorship of Andrea Pompilio, staged a digital show for the first time as part of Milan Fashion Week. Inspired by trekking in the '70s, and the Himalayas, the collection of zippered neon fleeces and padded jackets are where fashion meets function.
![Dolce & Gabbana](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603e/11bc/1852/5a1f/c999/624f/dolce%20&%20gabbana.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana combined tradition and technology in a collection that was both inspired by robots (and their makers) and famous fashion moments from the '90s. 'What interested us most, and still interests us today, is being able to have a direct dialogue with the new generation, being able to understand what their needs, their dreams, their inspirations are,' said Domenico Dolce.
Valentino
Valentino's 'Act' collection, staged inside the Piccolo Teatro di Milano, was a study in sensuality from Pierpaolo Piccioli. The silhouettes were noticeably short - and hoisted on very high heels - except for the evening dresses, not so much dresses but flying panels held together by ribbons, while the colour palette, save for a few fluorescents and flashes of print, was also pared-back.
![Emilio Pucci](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603e/12d6/71b5/9b16/fd94/aa8a/emilio%20pucci.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Emilio Pucci
The Emilio Pucci spirit most definitely lives on in the brand's latest collection which, although it speaks to an autumn/winter wardrobe, is still irrepressibly sunny in outlook. The easiness of the lines and the upbeat rhythm of the prints are simply unmistakable in their optimism.
![MM6 Maison Margiela](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603d/0964/71b5/9b66/dc94/a0b0/mm6%20maison%20margiela.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
MM6 Maison Margiela
MM6 Maison Margiela's AW21 collection began with a simple question: 'How do pieces transform when their iconic parts are slightly rearranged, or totally scrambled?' The results were a typically ingenious reinvention of the wheel, where blouses were almost turned inside out with shoulder pads and exposed seams, and a double-handed clutch was held upside down.
![Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603d/04af/cd12/4973/e34a/43dd/philopsophy.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini
School uniforms were the inspiration at Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, where varsity jackets, cricket jumpers, house colours and crests on shirt pockets all had a distinctly Rushmore sensibility. 'School, a place of culture that forms generations through debate, enlightenment and social interactions, is a place that enables young people to grow and develop. I thought back to the encounters and conflicts I faced during those years and realised how fundamental they were in shaping my character and the expression of my creativity,' said Lorenzo Serafini.
![Salvatore Ferragamo](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603d/0163/1852/5a93/7199/57ee/ferragamo.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Salvatore Ferragamo
In a collection that was inspired by the conceptual freedom of science fiction, Paul Andrew was fuelled by a sense of hope and optimism. Driven by 'the health of our environment', Andrew made notable moves towards a more mindful approach to making clothes; using polyester made from post-consumer recycled materials and sourcing pre-consumer offcuts to make his accessories, for example.
Sportmax
Sportmax's collection was an ode to womanhood, and incorporated muses from the '40s femme fatale to the '60s psychedelic spiritualist. What this translated to on the catwalk was clothes that felt celebratory, whether it was this puffball party dress worn with dramatic opera gloves or the waist-cinched leather jackets (the opposite to the cosy silhouette of loungewear that many of us have been embracing).
![Giorgio Armani](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603c/ecdd/4098/7f47/b37f/0bb7/giorgio%20armani.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Giorgio Armani
For AW21, Giorgio Armani had a certain 'nocturnal atmosphere'. These were clothes, whether it was the inky black velvet jacket or the a pair of trousers with fluid kind of sheen to their surface, that deserve to be worn after-hours.
![Bally](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603d/0339/ac4f/aab7/c55b/4dd9/bally.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Bally
Although executed in the most luxe (and desirable) way imaginable, Bally seems to think we might still be wearing loungewear come autumn. Its collection not only featured sweatpants, but also stirruped leggings. Although, worn with a cinched-waisted coat and pointed pumps, said leggings definitely still have legs in our book.
![Tod's](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6039/18bf/73e8/2bdb/c6ab/0839/tods.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Tod's
Walter Chiapponi continues to finely-tune his repertoire of classic garments for Tod's. This season, the practicality of sportswear meets the femininity of couture without sacrificing any of is function or utility. The sumptuous colours and textures of this look are mighty tempting for autumn, no?
![Etro](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6039/14ce/e176/d00e/6b20/e18f/etro.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Etro
For AW21, Veronica Etro was inspired by her father's collection of costumes belonging to the famous ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, as well as the free-spirited indie style of Jimi Hendrix.
![Marni](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/603c/eaf8/71b5/9b01/f994/9e99/18_Marni%20FW21%20Vol.2.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Marni
At Marni, Francesco Russo mused on what is romantic and what is romanticism nowadays. This 'quest' is expressed through colour and shape, while Russo played with the very elements of dressmaking themselves - darts, ruffles, zippers etc - to create clothes that a certain 'sturm und drang' feeling to them.
![Emporio Armani](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6037/d51b/e176/d05f/9820/d488/EMPORIO%20ARMANI%20FW21%20WOMENSWEAR%20COLLECTION%20(1).jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Emporio Armani
For AW21, Emporio Armani's signature approach to relaxed elegance was expressed in soft blazers and jackets with drawstrings reminiscent of sportswear, velvet dresses with patchwork prints and a popping colour palette of purples and pinks against a shimmering black base.
![Moschino](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6037/c388/e176/d0e3/8720/d360/moschino.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Moschino
Never one for understatement, Jeremy Scott staged a time-travelling homage to the grandeur of old Hollywood. Inspired by George Cukor's The Women - the seminal 1939 film in which no male character is seen or heard - Moschino's AW21 collection roved from power suiting to prairie dresses printed with grassy pastures and grazing cows to ball gowns fit for a gala opening to, the most whimsical of all, a giraffe mini and matching headdress.
![Prada](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6037/c7fd/4ef6/3031/bf3a/f4c2/prada.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Prada
Inspired by the idea of change and transformation, Prada's AW21 collection explored 'the point between simplicity and complexity, elegance and practicality, limitation and release'. What this translated to on the catwalk - where both the floor and the walls were carpeted in materials that will go on to be upcycled through the circular economy project Meta - was that evening gowns became jumpsuits, tailored coats were executed in dazzling paillettes, and wraps morphed into protective outerwear.
![Max Mara](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6037/a9ab/4098/7f18/e77e/dfde/max%20mara.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Max Mara
To celebrate its 70-year anniversary, Max Mara went back to its roots as the outfitter of the woman 'who handles anything that life throws at her calmly, capably, and with insouciant glamour'. The jewel in her crown is still her coat. And whether it's in cuddlesome teddy, long-haired camel, or sleek drap, or a combination as in the opening look, it's her chic and timeless armour.
![Marc Cain](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6037/9f89/1852/5a95/2e99/2b39/marc%20cain.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Marc Cain
Making its debut at Milan Fashion Week, Marc Cain showed its hero looks in front of a very select (and socially-distanced) front row at Palazzo Visconti. The single-breasted cream coat worn over silky pyjama separates felt like a suitably sumptuous proposition for this year's second half.
![Fendi](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6037/9d6a/1852/5aef/3999/2b04/fendi.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Fendi
It was one of the most highly-anticipated shows not just of Milan Fashion Week, but on the entire autumn/winter 2021 schedule, and today the wait was finally up to see Kim Jones' debut womenswear ready-to-wear collection for Fendi. Inspired by the five Fendi sisters, Jones gave his customer a 'have-it-all' wardrobe with ribbed knit separates, fluid handkerchief dresses, and sumptuous floor-trailing coats all in a luxurious (yet, crucially, wearable) palette of browns, white and black.
![Alberta Ferretti](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6036/6023/4098/7f73/7d7e/d19a/alberta%20ferretti.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Alberta Ferretti
For AW21, Alberta Ferretti walked the line between what it described as 'reassuring gestures' and 'decisive actions', with a collection that enveloped the body in protective textures and eschewed sharp angles for figure-caressing curves. Even the bags were hugged to the body, though none of this, naturally, means that there wasn't glamour on show. Platforms, sequins and floor-sweeping gowns were all present and correct, but it was the elevated staples like the loose-leg jeans paired with jewel-toned button-downs that really wowed.
![Missoni](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/6036/6515/1852/5a81/8999/1ea8/missoni.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Missoni
At Missoni, the collection wasn't skewed to autumn. Instead, pieces from spring, summer, autumn and winter were mixed together as part of the brand's mission statement to deliver 'clothes that are conceived to last, accompanying every woman in her life and becoming part of her memories'.