Kim Jones (designer)

For other people named Kim Jones, see Kim Jones (disambiguation).

Kim Jones
Born (1973-09-11) 11 September 1973 (age 51)
London, England
EducationCentral Saint Martins
University of the Arts London
OccupationFashion designer
Years active2003 – present

Kim Niklas Jones OBE (born 11 September 1979) is an English fashion designer.[1][2]

A graduate of Central St Martins College of Art and Design, he concurrently serves as the creative director of both Dior Homme and Fendi womenswear.

Early life and education

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An ensemble by Jones for Louis Vuitton [right] on display at The Met's exhibit Camp: Notes on Fashion

Born in London, Jones spent his childhood in Ecuador, the Caribbean, and Africa, following his father's job as a hydrologist.[3]

Jones studied graphics and photography at Camberwell School of Art before enrolling in the MA Fashion course at Central Saint Martins, studying menswear. He graduated in 2002.[4]

Career

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Kim Jones, 2003–2008

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Jones launched his eponymous brand in 2003, and in 2005 showed as part of the first season of MAN in conjunction with Fashion East, showcasing a short fashion film.[5] Other presentations have varied from films with Alasdair McLellen and Toyin, to a book with American art photographer Luke Smalley.

Alongside his own brand, he collaborated or worked with a wide range of other brands during this period, including Hugo Boss, Topman, Umbro, Mulberry, Iceberg, and Kanye West's Pastelle, before being appointed as Creative Director for British men's luxury-goods brand Alfred Dunhill in 2008.[5][6] After joining Dunhill, he closed his own brand.[3]

Louis Vuitton, 2011–2018

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In 2011, Jones was named the new style director of the men's ready-to-wear division at Louis Vuitton, replacing Paul Helbers, who had held the position for five years.[7] During his time at the label, he helped develop a hit collaboration in 2017 with skatewear brand Supreme on a collection of branded hoodies, bags and other goods.[8]

On 17 January 2018, it was announced that Jones would be leaving Vuitton as men's artistic director, after showing his final collection, A/W18, the following day.[9]

Dior, 2018–present

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On 19 March 2018, Jones was announced as creative director of Dior Homme, replacing Kris Van Assche. Prior to his first Dior Homme show, it was confirmed that he had designed the morning suit worn by David Beckham at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018. Jones debuted his first collection for Dior Homme in June 2018 at Men's Fashion Week in Paris.[10]

In May 2019, Jones revealed concept sketches for South Korean artists, BTS, announcing that Dior would be in charge of designing custom-made tour outfits, ahead of the band's Love Yourself World Tour. With the help of other creative directors such as Matthew Williams and Yoon Ahn (Dior's jewellery director) they incorporated Dior's iconic feminine, floral designs with industrial-like harnesses and chains.[11]

Jones has been assisted for some 15 years by fellow Brit designer Lucy Beeden, who is currently Dior Men's Design Director.[12][13]

In 2024 Jones launched first ever Dior Men's couture collection inspired by photographs of Rudolf Nureyev by his uncle Colin Jones.

Fendi, 2020–present

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In September, 2020 Jones was announced as also taking the role of Artistic Director of Fendi's women's collection, formerly occupied by Karl Lagerfeld.[14]

Other projects

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Jones has contributed both as stylist and art director for magazines including Dazed & Confused, Arena Homme +, Another Magazine, the New York Times T Style magazine, 10 Men, V Man, i-D magazine, Numero Homme, and Fantastic Man. He has also contributed womenswear styling for V and POP magazines.

  • 'Umbro by Kim Jones', photographed by Alasdair McLellan, self-published, 2006
  • Short film ‘Everywhere’ with Alasdair McLellan, for London Fashion Week February 2006
  • Short film ‘Poplife’ with Will Davidson, for showstudio.com Spring/Summer 2006
  • A womenswear collection for Isetan Tokyo 120th anniversary alongside Visionaire and Comme des Garçons
  • Exhibition at the Museum of London, "The London Look – fashion from the street to catwalk," October
  • ‘Kim Jones’ by Luke Smalley, published by Twin Palms, 2004
  • Short film with Toyin for the launch of the Autumn/Winter 2003 collection edited by Andrew Daffy
  • Short film, "Raphi" with Toyin, for showstudio.com

Awards and honours

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  • 2021 British Fashion Awards - FOR DIOR MEN AND FENDI[15]
  • 2009 British Fashion Awards - Menswear Designer Of The Year, Kim Jones for Dunhill.[16]
  • 2006 British Fashion Awards - Menswear Designer Of The Year[17]
  • Topshop New Generation Award, twice winner
  • Dazed and Confused/Egg Bursary
  • GQ Magazine – 3 nominations for "Man Of The Year" Awards two years running
  • Elle Style Awards – 3 nominations
  • Arena magazine- menswear design award nominee
  • 2019 British Fashion Awards - Menswear Designer Of The Year[18][19]

Jones was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to fashion.[20][21]

Personal life

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Jones is a nephew of a photographer Colin Jones (1936-2021). He lives in London, in a house designed by the Italian architect Gianni Botsford.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "5 things to know about Kim Jones, the designer who reinvented Louis Vuitton's menswear". Vogue Paris (in French). 19 March 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Kim Jones - Flair Magazine". Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Jenny Comita (15 December 2021), Kim Jones Settles Into the Fendi Family W.
  4. ^ "Kim Jones - Interview Magazine". Interview Magazine. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b "33 things you need to know about kim jones, dior homme's new creative director". I-d. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. ^ Jones, Kim (24 June 2008). "For the Moment | Kim Jones". T Magazine. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  7. ^ "5 things to know about Kim Jones, the designer who reinvented Louis Vuitton's menswear". Vogue France (in French). 19 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  8. ^ Sarah White (17 January 2018), Menswear designer Jones quits LVMH's Louis Vuitton Reuters.
  9. ^ "Kim Jones to Leave Louis Vuitton". 17 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Kim Jones Named New Artistic Director at Dior Homme". Harper's BAZAAR. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  11. ^ Fearon, Faye (14 May 2019). "Kim Jones has designed custom Dior stage wear for BTS' worldwide tour". Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Kim Jones Turns to the Bright Side at Dior Men". The New York Times. 23 June 2018.
  13. ^ Teen, Vanity (8 December 2020). "Dior Men's Fall 2021 Collection Vanity Teen 虚荣青年 Lifestyle & New Faces Magazine". www.vanityteen.com. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  14. ^ Socha, Miles. "Kim Jones to Design Fendi Women's, Continue at Dior Men". Women's Wear Daily (WWD).
  15. ^ "All the winners from the 2021 Fashion Awards". GQ. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Christopher Bailey named best designer of the year at British Fashion". The Independent. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  17. ^ Vogue. "THE 2006 WINNERS". Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  18. ^ "2019 Winners". Fashion Awards. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Who were the winners of the 2019 Fashion Awards?". Vogue. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  20. ^ "No. 63135". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B13.
  21. ^ "Kim Jones". IMDb. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
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