Regardless of whether one is or is not a fan of Hedi Slimane, it is not easy to deny the pull of the designer who previously held the top creative direction for Dior and Saint Laurent. His inaugural presentation as creative director of Celine was arguably the most anticipated show during the Paris Fashion Week, and was the most talked about out of the scheduled labels even if the discussion has been mostly to take down Slimane’s work that differs vastly from that of Phoebe Philo, the former creative director of the brand (then with the accent). This time, we’re finding his name and the brand on the headlines because of an impending runway show—Celine will be joining the January schedule for menswear. Even though people are not hopeful in regaining the former charm of Philo’s effortlessly elegant pieces, you can bet that fans will tune in on what Slimane has more to offer.
We’ve already had a sneak peek of what the selection would look like, as the show in Paris included pieces for both men and women. The jackets and jeans befitting of a rocker were considered suitable for women as it is for men, mixing in formal with the party appropriate. But come January, we’ll be seeing more as the brand reportedly will be at the Men’s Fashion Week in Paris. A representative for Celine has confirmed the development, but the details remain scant. What we do know, however, is that Celine is coordinating with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to settle on a date and a place. More particulars are expected to be revealed soon.
With its inclusion in the January schedule, Celine will be joining other luxury labels such as Givenchy, Maison Margiela, and Stella McCartney. Givenchy’s show on January 16 will be monumental for its artistic director, Claire Waight Keller, for the January show will be her first menswear-exclusive presentation. Stella McCartney will be showing more of her men’s garments after teasing us in September. Other LVMH labels will be doing a fashion show too, such as Dior with Kim Jones and Louis Vuitton with Virgil Abloh. There have been rumors that Slimane will follow through what he has done for the Paris Fashion Week, which seems to imply that he will be putting some women’s pieces in the mix. If confirmed, this will not make the brand that different from the others; Gucci and Balenciaga will also be doing coed presentations.
It will mark a first for Celine, which has not previously participated in the Men’s Fashion Week because of the focus on its female market. This signals LVMH’s intentions of widening Celine’s reach and taking advantage of the booming market for menswear. Slimane has also been tapped by the label’s parent company to focus on more profitable ventures, such as accessories, leather garments and accessories. LVMH has quite an ambitious goal, pegging Celine to eventually reach a worth of 3B euros. But seeing what the designer has done for Dior and Saint Laurent, it is not too far-fetched to think that he could achieve the same because of his most ardent global fans.
Check out Celine SS19 Collection
Image credits: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images, AFP, IK ALDAMA/INDIGITAL.TV
