Where Haute Couture Meets High Jewelry: Introducing The Fendi Couture Autumn/Winter 2023 Collection

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Fendi

It’s that time of the summer when incredibly rare looks grace the runways while equally as stunning jewels are extravagantly introduced in Paris. This season, Fendi Couture, under the creative direction of Kim Jones and Delfina Delettrez Fendi, unveils a collection that marries the worlds of haute couture and exquisite, precious jewelry. Embracing fluidity, drapery, and sculptural shapes, the garments and one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces evoke emotion, precision, and a profound connection to the wearer. Named ‘Fendi Triptych,’ the new collection embodies the exploration of high jewelry through a new, high fashion lens. 

Drawing inspiration from Delfina’s high jewelry creations, the collection brings forth an exquisite color palette influenced by flesh tones and precious stones. Softness meets strength, and flesh intertwines with stone, creating a captivating play of contrasts. Each garment itself becomes a jewel, embellished and adorned with meticulous attention to detail.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Fendi

Jones and the skilled artisans of the Fendi ateliers prioritize couture traditions made approachable and human. “This season, we wanted to concentrate on the achievement of fluidity, drape, and shape through couture techniques, bringing these elements together with the attitude of today,” notes Jones, Artistic Director of FENDI Couture and Womenswear. “We worked on a template based on Delfina’s high jewelry. If there is no jewelry, the idea is still present through the color palette and embellishment in the collection; the clothes themselves take on the idea of jewelry. Colors come from flesh tones as well as that of stones: black diamonds, rubies, sapphires. There is a play of soft and hard, flesh and stone.”

The designs exude a lightness and volume, offering a sense of ease and flexibility to the wearer. With an emphasis on simplicity and hidden intricacies, the collection showcases the artistry of pattern cutting and the mastery of single-seam construction. The result is a collection that celebrates the beauty of drapery, volume, and sculptural shapes, creating a harmonious relationship between the garments and the body.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Fendi

Complementing the couture ensembles, Delfina presents a selection of one-of-a-kind high jewelry pieces. Timeless yet contemporary, these exquisite creations feature exceptional white and yellow diamonds, alongside vibrant Padparadscha sapphires and spinels. The collection’s pink spinels, meticulously curated over four decades, stand as a testament to the rarity and unique nature of these precious gems.

The couture collection reaches its crescendo with embroidery techniques that bridge the worlds of clothing and jewelry. Models adorned with jewel-like embellishments and layered tonal paillettes and stones create a mesmerizing spectacle. The final look, achieved through 1,200 hours of handwork, emanates a radiant rose glow. Seamlessly blending past and present, Fendi Couture creates a New Wave of fashion that celebrates craftsmanship, artistry, and the fusion of fashion and jewelry.