This story appears in V135: now available for purchase!
Fendi creative director Kim Jones is looking back at the house’s history. His point of focus: the disco age. It was a time of glamorous Studio 54-type clubs filled by iconic muses like Grace Jones, Jerry Hall, Pat Cleveland, and Tina Chow, many of whom had yet to be discovered. A time when postmodern artists were breaking down the restrictions that had kept the art world exclusive far too long.
This was the moment surrounding Puerto Rican fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez when he roared onto the scene in the 1960s. A brilliant talent gone too soon; Lopez is the inspiration behind Jones’s sophomore ready-to-wear collection at Fendi. Rising up the ranks of the New York and Paris fashion industries alongside frequent collaborator Juan Ramos, Lopez created some of the most definitive illustrations of his time. He booked jobs for practically every big name in fashion, inspired by a rotating coterie of models, muses, and fellow creatives like Karl Lagerfeld, who was just beginning his exalted tenure at Fendi. Fendi’s new ready-to-wear collection introduces Lopez’s illustrations to a new generation. Lace, silk, and leather garments, signature Fendi bags, and a plethora of accessories bear the distinct Lopez style. The iconic Baguette takes on a whole rainbow, while a stunning resin-encased heel embodies the energetic vibe of the aspirational muses dubbed “Antonio’s Girls.”
From the boldest dress to the subtlest hair accessory, Fendi situates Lopez’s work in a new era—one closer to the diverse, enthralling world he envisioned decades ago.
