Friends of FENDI: Hiroshi Fujiwara

“I first met Hiroshi Fujiwara in London in 1999 – and what can I say? He’s one of my idols and I love him. He’s an instigator of the Japanese club scene, its youth fashion scene and its streetwear scene. I have been in love with Japan for a long time; its influence on me and what I do is huge – Hiroshi is a major part of that,” says Kim Jones, FENDI Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear.

“Our bag shapes are a logo themselves; they are so representative of the House. While our workmanship is another important part of our iconography. At the same time, we never want to be too precious with either – we enjoy celebrating both in new ways! It’s a living history that Hiroshi Fujiwara adds to with both FRGMT and Pokémon; he’s taken our handbags and made them into mini pop monuments,” says Silvia Venturini Fendi, FENDI Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear.

‘Friends of FENDI’ is a diverse series of projects and collections conceived by Kim Jones and Silvia Venturini Fendi, crossing the ‘party lines’ of the fashion industry and distinguished by a belief in sincerity over strategy, with a true notion of friendship at their heart.

With Hiroshi Fujiwara’s combination of multiple mediums of creativity, from fashion, music and art to sports shoe and product design, his pioneering multi-modality has shaped how global fashion operates today. It has also earned him the title of the ‘godfather of streetwear’ and made his output in whichever field he chooses so highly covetable.

“When Kim asks me to work on a project together, I have no reason to say no. I very much enjoyed working with Kim again, and this time also with Silvia. It was a true honor to work with the house of FENDI, a traditional brand with outstanding craftsmanship. Grateful for this opportunity,” states Hiroshi Fujiwara.

At once an intervention and a means for reinvention, Fujiwara’s Fragment could be seen to enter the world of FENDI both deftly and playfully with FENDI x FRGMT. In addition, in celebration of the year of the Dragon, through FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON Fujiwara initiates a twist with his own presence and a further one through the collaboration with The Pokémon Company and the globally iconic Pokémon brand that the designer already has a successful relationship with and that now expands with a collection which spotlights Dragon-type Pokémon as a homage to the year of the Dragon.

FENDI x FRGMT

A concentrated approach is found in FENDI x FRGMT with ‘FF Fragment’, which reinterprets Hiroshi’s FRGMT signature on the iconic FF jacquard logo in its institutional brown and tobacco shade and in an unexpected bold yellow version.

Disrupted ‘FF Fragment’ is applied on iconic Peekaboo ISeeU Small and Baguette women’s bag, as well as mini icons Baguette Pouch and Mini Mon Trésor, together with a new foldable Baguette shopper and soft hobo bag. While men’s mainstays such as a messenger large and a belt bag further utilise the FRGMT disruption with yellow contrast zips.

A unisex white t-shirt with a FENDI x FRGMT special logo completes the offer.

FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON

In FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON, FENDI’s most recognisable icons, in the shape of its Peekaboo and Baguette bags for women’s and men’s together with the FF logo, meet Pokémon, in the shape of their renowned Dragon-type Pokémon to celebrate the year of the Dragon.

In turn, there is a playful evolution through FENDI’s craft of leather goods that expertly take on the kindly Pokémon through its different stages: from inlays and prints on FF jacquard and FF canvas backings – which, alongside Peekaboo and Baguette, can also be found on shopper bag and men’s camera case – to the full-blown leather 3D marquetry embodiment of Dragonite and Dratini in, respectively, playful new Baguette and Mini Baguette bags, also available in cute nano sizes.

Showcasing the Maison’s mastery in materials, a special Baguette is realized with an intricate micro beads FF embroidery with the three Pokémon and fringes, while a Peekaboo ISeeU Medium in shiny white croco is enriched with Dratini details on the metal handle and chain strap.

Mini icons such as Baguette Pouch, Mini By The Way and Mini Mon Trésor, and small leather goods further animate the offering along with Dragonite key charms and textile accessories.

From earrings to ring, a selection of galvanized brass jewellery combines the Maison's iconic FF logo with Pokémon’s signatures, including Dratini and Dragonair and the famous Poké Ball which opens on a soft chain bracelet and necklace, unexpectedly revealing the FF logo in a celebration of the brands’ emblems.

The line-up also includes relaxed clothing for men and women in the shape of t-shirts, hoodies and silk FF pyjamas with Dragonite designs.

The collaboration with Pokémon also includes Dragonite realized by the expert hands of the FENDI leather artisans, further displaying the Maison’s savoir-faire and playful side. A true and rare collector’s item available in limited series, it is meticulously crafted using the utmost qualitative leathers and branded with its own silk FF foulard, requiring more than 30 hours of manual workmanship.

Furthermore, as part of this exciting collaboration, FENDI, Fragment and Pokémon announce a partnership with Pokémon GO, the mobile game sensation from Niantic where players can discover Pokémon as they explore the world around them. Starting on January 4th 2024, Pokémon GO Trainers can obtain digital avatar items featuring designs from the FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON collection. Please visit fendi.com and www.pokemongolive.com for more details.

The FENDI x FRGMT and FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON collections will be available in selected FENDI boutiques worldwide and on fendi.com starting from January 4th 2024.

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