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Turbulence at the top of the luxury fashion houses continued today as Celine announced the departure of Hedi Slimane, “artistic, creative and image director” of the house since January 2018. It was followed, just over two hours later, by another statement which announced Michael Rider, former creative director of Polo Ralph Lauren, will be the succeeding artistic director.
The news comes after months of industry murmurs about an imminent Slim-exit. Slimane, who made skinny jeans a mainstay of the 2010s, will now head up odds as the next possible creative director at Chanel, which has been leaderless since Virginie Viard left the position in June. It’s a $20 billion question which has the industry in hysterics.
Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s longstanding creative director between 1983 and his death in 2019, was famously a fan of Slimane. It is fashion lore that Slimane was being groomed to follow in his footsteps, and would step up when the time was right.
Slimane’s tenure at Dior Homme (2000 – 2007), where he was best known for the introduction of super-skinny silhouettes, caught the late fashion designer’s eye. “I suddenly wanted to wear clothes designed by Hedi Slimane,” Lagerfeld said, before losing six and half stone in the early 2000s in order to do so. Slimane was also creative director of Saint Laurent (and behind the dropping of the “Yves” from the brand) 2012 – 2016.
“The holistic vision of Hedi Slimane, his exigence and rigour have made it possible to redefine the codes of Celine whilst reaffirming its feminine and Parisian roots,” Celine said in a statement. “He has also remarkably enriched new territories for the Maison such as the men’s silhouette, couture and haute parfumerie.” His time at Celine will be best recalled for introducing his style of rock-star grunge, super slim-fit tailoring, striking campaign videos (the most recent saw him take over Norfolk’s Holkham Hall), a blow-out fashion show in Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre, and a string of successful handbags; the most famous bag was his first, the briefcase-esque “16 handbag”, which he launched with the help of Lady Gaga.
And what next for Celine, a house that started life (as Céline) in 1945 as a children’s boutique before shifting to women's fashion in the sixties, launching its first ready-to-wear collection in 1967, and being bought by LVMH in 1987? Top designers have walked through its doors: Michael Kors helped modernise its image during his tenure (1997 – 2004), before Phoebe Philo ensured its cult status during her decade at the top, from 2008. You might recall the ad campaigns featuring Joan Didion, Sandra Hüller and Daria Werbowy promoting her stripped back, utilitarian chic.
Well, lovers of Philo might be in luck. Rider, who started his career at Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière, spent a decade working at Celine under Philo before taking on the Polo Ralph Lauren role in 2018.
"Celine is a Maison with values very close to my heart and a beautiful heritage to build on,” he said in a statement. “I am honored [sic] to come back and shape the future of the Maison together with the Celine team.”
The appointment will raise further questions about fashion’s diversity issue, as so few top design positions at luxury houses are held by women.
Rider starts in early 2025.
