With the news that British designer Kim Jones is to take the reigns as Artistic Director of Fendi Women’s, overseeing the Italian brands haute couture, ready-to-wear and fur collections – we can’t help up reflect and reminisce on his life and career to date.
Hailed by many as being a trailblazer and force of good within the fashion industry, producing endlessly surprising collaborative and creative projects, Kim Jones is a true pioneer and visionary who’s artistic talents and innovative designs know no boundaries or limits.
Here are 15 things you may not know about Kim Jones…
1. Kim Jones was born in Hammersmith, West London in 1973.
2. Jones father worked as a hydrogeologist, and the family lived in Ecuador, Africa and the Caribbean before moving back to London when Kim was a teenager.
3. Kim cites broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough as being one of his heroes.
4. He enrolled at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London as an undergraduate to study menswear as part of the colleges MA Fashion course.
5. Kim’s CSM graduate collection was bought by John Galliano.
6. Jones has contributed as both stylist and art director for iconic fashion magazines including Dazed & Confused, Arena Home +, Another Magazine, the New York Times T Style, V Man, i-D, Numero Homme and Fantastic Man.
7. Aged 30, Kim launched his eponymous brand in 2003.
8. Kim once served as a consultant on Kanye West’s fashion line, Pastelle.
9. He is an avid collector of trainers, rare vinyl records, one of a kind items of clothing designed by 1980’s underground cult talents and vintage, early-era pieces from the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Issey Miyake.
10. Kim replaced Paul Helbers as Men’s Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton – revolutionising the French fashion house’s menswear category, with his distinctive, streetwear-inflected take on luxury.
11. Jones has been Creative Director of Dior Homme – the menswear division of Christina Dior SA, the French clothing retailer for 2 years.
12. Jones designed the morning suit worn by David Beckham at Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in May 2018.
13. Kim was named as one of the top 100 influential people in fashion by The Face magazine.
14. Jones won the Menswear Designer of The Year at the Fashion Awards hosted by the British Fashion Council in 2006, 2009 and 2019.
15. Kim designed custom Dior stage costumes for South Korean boy band BTS’s 2019 Love Yourself World Tour.
