Fendi announced today that its Artistic Director, Kim Jones, will be leaving the Italian fashion house but will maintain his position as Artistic Director of Dior Men, another brand under the LVMH umbrella. This departure marks the latest in a series of high-profile designer changes as the fashion industry adjusts to market downturns.
In a statement released on Friday, the company said that a new creative organization for Fendi will be announced “in due time.” Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, praised Jones for his contributions: “Kim Jones is a highly talented designer who has brought his unique and multicultural vision to Fendi over the past four years. I would like to thank him for his contribution and look forward to continuing to witness his creativity for Dior Men.”
Jones took over the role at Fendi in 2020, succeeding the legendary Karl Lagerfeld, who had passed away in February 2019. During his tenure, Jones reimagined Fendi’s Roman roots with his sleek, contemporary style, weaving in personal fixations such as the work of the Bloomsbury Group. The company noted that he was “guided by passion and creativity… constantly renewing the house’s codes.”
His final show for Fendi took place this past September, presenting a collection that harked back to the 1920s—the decade in which Fendi was founded. With 2025 marking the house’s centenary year, the collection felt especially poignant. “The foundations of how women dress today and, in many ways, how we think are in the 1920s. It’s about modernity in style and attitude,” Jones said. The show concluded with a dramatic flourish: an enormous white box opened at the center of the runway, revealing a tableau of models inside—a fitting finale to his tenure.
The fashion industry has seen several significant shifts recently. Last week, LVMH named Michael Rider to succeed Hedi Slimane at Celine, and in September, Sarah Burton was appointed to take over creative direction at Givenchy. Additionally, major houses like Chanel and Dries Van Noten are reportedly experiencing vacancies in creative leadership roles.
As for Fendi’s future, the company stated that “a new creative organization for Fendi will be announced in due time.” The industry eagerly awaits news of Jones’s successor as the brand approaches its 100th anniversary.
